( 48 ) 



The Muaeiira is largely indebted for many specimens in the 

 Insect Department to Mr. E. E. Green, the Government Ento- 

 mologist, and to Messrs. F. M. Mackwood and 0. S. Wickwar, who 

 have also devoted much time to the arrangement of the duplicate 

 collections of Butterflies, Moths, and Hymenoptera. 



CRUSTACEANS AND MOLLUSCS. 



Some Crustaceans (crabs, hermit crabs, prawns, barnacles) will 

 be found among the table cases, chiefly on the tops of the cases. 

 Marine Shells and Land Shells are contained in the table cases 

 surrounding the central group. The marine shells of Ceylon are 

 not remarkable for their exceptional variety and abundance. 

 Ceylon follows far behind many other localities of the Indo- 

 Pacific Region in the richness of its Marine MoUuscan Fauna, but 

 a sufficient compensation is afforded by the presence of the 

 celebrated pearl banks. 



On the other hani, the land shells of Ceylon are highly pecu- 

 liar, and comprise many endemic species. The largest snails of 

 the Island belong to a genus, Acavtis, which is confined to Ceylon. 

 Mr. Oliver CoUett, F.R.M.S., who lived for some years at Amba- 

 gamuwa, was a great collector and connoisseur of the land-shells of 

 Ceylon, and published three "Contributions to Ceylon Malacology" 

 in the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 

 (vols. XV.-XVL, 1 897-1900). On his death, which occurred prema- 

 turely in 1902, his collection was purchased by the Government 

 of Ceylon for the Colombo Museum and forms a valuable students' 

 collection, whicli can be viewed on application. It contains 

 several species still unnamed. 



PEARL BANKS AND CORAL REEFS. 



A number of specimens in Table Cases I. and VIII., some of 

 which were presented long ago by Captain Donnan, many more 

 having been added recently by Mr. James Hornell, Marine Biologist 

 and Inspector of Pearl Banks, illustrate the natural history of the 

 banks or paars which afford anchorage to the pearl oyster. Prior 

 to the year 1903 there had been no pearl fishery for twelve years, 

 and in 1902 a special mission, consisting of Professor W. A. 

 Herdman, F.R.S., assisted by Mr. James Hornell, was appointed to 

 report on the Pearl Oyster Fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar. " The 

 animal (Margaritifera vrdyaris, Sch\ini.= A vicu/ a /ucata,Go\ild) 

 is not a true oyster, but belongs to the family Aviculidae, and is 

 therefore more nearly related to the Mussels {Mytilus) than to 

 the Oysters (Osf.rea) of our British seas. One very notable 

 character of great practical importance, in which it differs from 



