JOTTINGS—LIMA HIANS, GMEL, del 
Jottings from my Note-book. 
On Lima hians, Gmel. 
By Davin Rosertson, LL.D,, F.L,S., F.G.S. 
[Read 23rd December, 1895. ] 
I BEG to submit the following notes on a new departure, so far as 
I know, practised by Lima hians in nest building. I have long 
known the habits of these creatures, making “the readiest serve 
the needfulest” in constructing their nests. When suitable 
materials are not procurable the next best are taken. Where 
melobesia is plentiful they build with 7¢ freely ; if such is not to be 
had, shells, stones, and other debris are used. Although they 
usually prefer small material, they sometimes contrive, in want 
of better, to use shells over 24 inches long, and nearly as broad. 
In other cases, where hard materials are not obtainable, soft fila- 
mentous alge are utilised. In the absence of any of these, as 
when the animals were confined in a glass jar, they built in the 
angle between the sides and bottom of the vessel with their own 
byssus. 
Lately, for the first time after many years’ dredging, I found 
three of these animals on different parts of a frond of Laminaria 
_ saccharina, Lam., with the edge of the frond tucked over them, 
firmly tied down by their byssus into a very secure shelter, In 
this case the adoption of the frond is all the more remarkable, as 
it was lying over a bank of their favourite building material, 
melobesia. It may be a question whether the animals have the 
power to draw the edges of the bulky frond over themselves, or 
whether it is an irritation caused to the frond by the limas giving 
it a tendency to fold over—most likely the latter—as it is usual to 
find the fronds of sea-weeds and leaves of land plants crumpled 
over the lodgment of the infesting animals. On the other hand, 
the large shells and stones they use in making their nests, and the 
difficult position they are sometimes placed in, give support to the 
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