354 



for ships enteriug the Bay, but uow given up. Near the deserted 

 Pilot Station at Amity Point, some of the uatives may constantly be 

 found during the warmer mouths of the year fishing for "MuUet," a 

 very fine fish about the size of a mackerel. Iii this pursuit they 

 are assisted in a most wonderful mauner by the Porpoises. It seems 

 that froin time immemorial a sort of understauding has existed be- 

 tween the blaeks and the Porpoises for their mutual advantage, and 

 the former pretend to know all the Porpoises about the spot, and 

 even have names for them. 



The beach here consists of shelving sand, and near the shore are 

 small hillocks of sand, on which the blaeks sit, watching for the ap- 

 pearance of a shoal of Mullet. Their nets, which are used by hand, 

 and are stretched on a frame about 4 feet wide, he ready on the 

 beach. On seeing a shoal, several of the men run down, and with 

 their spears make a peculiar splashing in the water. "NVhether the 

 Porpoises really understand this as a signal, or think it is the fish, 

 it is difficult to determine, but the result is always the šame ; they 

 at once come in towards the shore, driviug the Mullet before them. 

 As they near the edge, a number of the blaeks with spears and hand- 

 nets ąuickly divide to the right and left, and dash into the water. 

 The Porpoises being outside the shoal, numbers of fish are secured 

 before they can break away. In the scene of apparent confusion 

 that takes place, the blaeks and Porpoises are seen splashing about 

 close to each other. So fearless are the latter, that strangers, who 

 have expressed doubts as to their tameness, have often been shown 

 that they will take a fish from the end of a spear, when held to 

 them. 



For my own part I eannot doubt that the understanding is real, 

 and that the natives know these Porpoises, and that strange Por- 

 poises would not show so little fear of the natives. The oldest men 

 of the tribe say that the šame kind of fishing has always been carried 

 on as long as they can remember. 



Porpoises abound in the Bay, but in no other jmrt do the natives 

 fish with their assistance. 



6. MOLLUSCA NOVA COLLECTIONIS CuMINGIANiE, DESCRIPTA A 

 GUILIELMO DUNKER, MaRBURGENSI. 



I. Trochtjs FLAVIDUS. 



Tr. testą conica, soUdula, unicolore pallide Jlavida, nitida ; apice 

 acuto, granoso ; anfractibus Icevigatis planis 10, in/era siipera- 

 que suturfB parte cingulo elevato instructis ; striis incretnenti 

 tenerrimis ; anfractu ultimo obtuse angulato ; basi convezius- 

 cula suleis guinis notata ; apertura subtetragona. 

 Patria ignota. 



Species Trocho dubia, Phil., affinis est, qui vero colore olivaceo, 

 pictura albo vel rufo flammulata, testą majore et latiore, anfractu 

 ultimo magis angulato statini dignoscitur. Specimen, quod esset 

 unicum .5 lin. altum, Ah latum est. 



