RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



55 



Cape Cod to South Carolina (Verrill). I 

 have found but one specimen in Rhode 

 Island. 



52. Cerithium (Cerithiopsis) terebraijs, 

 Adams. 



This species inhabits the same localities, 

 »nd is of the same shape and size as C. 

 Emersonii, but the surface of the shell, 

 instead of being granulated, has three sharp, 

 elevated revolving lines on each whorl, of 

 which there are ten, and numerous firje, 

 longitudinal lines between the I'idges. It 

 was discovered at New Bedford b}' Mr. C. 

 F. Shivei'ick, and described by Prof. C. B. 

 Adams, in Jour. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 III., 320. 



Genus Tkiforis, Deshayes, 1825. 



Shell sinistral, turreted, sculptured, gran- 

 ular ; aperture small, produced anteriorly 

 into a closed tubular canal. 



Dist , about one hundred species, one of 

 which inhabits Rhode Island. 



53. Triforis nigrocinctus, Adams. 



Shell small, blackish red, granulated by 

 three revolving series of beads ; whorls 

 twelve, reversed, the aperture being sinistral 

 or left-handed, differing in this respect from 

 an}' other marine shell we have within our 

 limits ; spire acute ; aperture oval, one-fifth 

 the length of the shell, ending in a twisted 

 canal one-third the length of the aperture, 

 situated on the left side of the shell. Length 

 three-tenths inch, breadth three-fortieths. 



The name, nigrocinctus, was not well 

 chosen for this species, as the shells when 

 fresh are of a uniform color, the black 

 revolving line at the suture being scarceh' 

 distinguishable. In faded or light colored 

 specimens it is very apparent. However, it 

 cannot be mistaken for any other species 

 inhabiting our coasts. It was discovered 

 by Professor Adams in Dartmouth harbor 

 on seaweed, and described bv him in Jour. 

 Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., ii.,*'286. Gould's 

 Invert, gives no other locality. Perkins says 

 they are rare at New Haven. Verrill gives 

 from Cape Cod to South Carolina. We find 

 them here on Ostraea Virginica, attached to 

 the dead shells lying in the heaps thrown 

 out by the oyster-openers in different parts 

 of the cit}'. 



(To he continued.) 



The Native Trees of Rhode Island. 



BY L. W. RUSSELL. 

 No. III. 



Qdercds Prinus — Chestnut Oak. 

 Var. monticola. 



There are at least three varieties of the 

 Q. prinus in Rhode Island. The variety 

 monticola, rock-chestnut oak, is found upon 

 some of the rock}' hills of the state, quite 

 abundantly upon the ridge of which the 

 Diamond Hill granite quarries form a part. 

 The trees now standing upon this ridge are 

 generally small, being mostly sprouts from 

 a growth cut ten or more years ago. It is 

 rare to find a well-developed tree of this 

 species in this state. The largest which I 

 have seen are not more than a foot and a 

 half in diameter and about twenty-five feet 

 high. In the open ground the tree grows 

 to a low, rounded head, symmetrical and 

 of considerable beauty. The leaves which 

 I have gathered average seven inches in 

 length, including the petiole, which is about 

 one inch long. The general shape is obo- 

 vate, considerably narrowed at the base, 

 the widest part being fully half its length. 

 The margin is distinctly, but not deeply 

 toothed. The midrib sends out from six to 

 twelve pairs of straight, prominent veins, 

 which determine the number of teeth. The 

 leaves are of a shining green above, lighter, 

 and, when young, downy beneath. They 

 clothe the tree with a dense foliage. 



The tree fruits but sparingl}', and the 

 acorns, being vQvy sweet, are quickly taken 

 by the squirrels, so that it is difficult to get 

 well ripened specimens. The acorns are 

 large, in rough cups, not distinctly' scaled, 

 borne upon footstalks about one inch long. 

 The branches come out at sharper angles 

 than is common with most other oaks, and 

 are finel}' divided at the extremities. The 

 bark is smooth until the tree is quite old, 

 when it becomes divided b}' clefts, long, 

 but not deep, and quite near each other. 

 The bark resembles that of the chestnut 

 tree, but is somewhat lighter and very com- 

 pact. 



Where this tree is found in sufficient 

 quantities it is highlj' esteemed both as tim- 

 ber and fuel ; but in Rhode Island it is 

 so scarce that its characteristics are but 



