OCULINA. aA 
see whether there were any remains of those objects that 
had long occupied the attention of the former scientific re- 
sident, I saw, with surprise and delight, on the mantel-piece 
a very respectable specimen of my old Norwegian acquaint- 
ance, Oculina prolifera. I made particular inquiry as to 
when and where obtained, and Mr. M‘Millan told me that, 
when his brother occupied a large farm in the island of 
Barra, he had been in the habit of collecting rare shells for 
a relative of theirs, a lady of rank in England ; that this 
had been procured at that time, but not being a shell, it 
had not been forwarded to her. I took good care to give 
no hint by my tongue how I would like it to be disposed 
of, and I hope my eye did not proclaim its covetousness. 
Be that as it may, it was sent to me next day, and I retain 
it on account of its great rarity, and as a memorial of a ree 
markably pleasant visit to Appin. It is a good stout coral, 
fitted to brave the storms of the north-west Hebrides. I 
. may mention that, though I did not become possessor of 
the Norwegian specimen, I was made welcome to the shells 
—white mussels as they were called—that were ensconced 
amongst its branches. There were a few specimens: of 
Lerebratula caput-serpentis, then regarded as rare, and one 
specimen of the very rare Zerebratula cranium. 
4 
