July, 1908.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 53 



that department of natural history. Here we have a magnificent 

 sheet of water, covering perhaps 80 square miles, the whole of 

 which is influenced by tides ranging from 8 to 10 feet. Channels 

 meander in all directions, varying in depth down to sixteen 

 fathoms, and in width from a few hundred yards to two or three 

 miles. These channels teem with marine life of wonderful 

 variety. Look, for example, at the result of our little trip, the 

 work of practically only two days. Leaving out of the question the 

 Bryozoa, Hydrozoa, Crustacea, &c., we collected no less than 220 

 species of Mollusca, there being 53 bivalves and 167 univalves. 

 Among them were the very rare species Typhis yatesi, Crosse ; 

 Lippistes blainvilleanus, Petit ; Drillia gabrieli^ Pritchard and 

 Gatliffj Mitra glabra, Swain.; Conus segravei, Gatliff; and the 

 Chitons, LoriceJla angasi, Ad. and Angas, and Acanthochites 

 speciosus, H. Adams. The latter Chiton is extremely rare, and 

 the last record of its occurrence was by the late Mr. Bracebridge 

 Wilson, at Port Phillip Heads, many years ago. Two Modiolas 

 were secured — 31. albicosta, Lam., and M. a7'borescens, Chem. 

 This latter beautiful shell was a great find. Some years ago my 

 son, Mr. C. J. Gabriel, obtained a few specimens of it in com- 

 pany with M. victorice. The peculiar habit of these shells is that 

 they are always embedded in tufts of sea-weed held together by 

 mud, and great care has to be exercised in separating the fragile 

 shells from their environment, otherwise disaster is sure to occur. 

 We were also fortunate in obtaining two species of tube-shells — 

 Humphreyia strangei, A. Ad., and Clavagella multangularis, Tate. 

 The tube-shells are very interesting, and a short description may 

 be acceptable. Strictly speaking, the tube is only the adult stage of 

 the shell, for in early life the valves are quite free from any tube 

 whatever, as may be seen in a specimen collected by my son 

 about three years ago. In the larger form, Humphreyia strangei, 

 the fish builds the tube, which is of calcareous material, upon its 

 shell. The tube is quadrangular in form, and at first you may 

 fail to see the connection, but near the base you will find the 

 little bivalve, only about three-eighths of an inch long, embedded 

 on one of the angles. The smaller form, Clavagella multan- 

 gularis, is built up similarly, but differs in the tube being 

 multiangular and that one valve only is embedded in the tube, 

 the other swinging loosely inside. The reason for this I leave to 

 wiser heads to explain. The sketch map will give you an idea of 

 what ground has been worked, and the amount which yet remains 

 to be done. My son and I have spent most of our holidays in 

 these waters for the last fifteen or twenty years, and we have not 

 covered one-fourth of the area. In Bryozoa alone I have 

 collected over 200 species, while on one short trip I collected 

 120 species of sponges for Professor Dendy. Among other 

 objects taken in Western Port may be mentioned the rare mollusc, 

 Murex tri/ormis, many rare fish, and also Amphioxus. 



