IfOTES. * 3 



The following specimens were exhibited: — 



Mr. J. Cosmo Melvill : An example of Cyprcea onyx, L., from the 

 Persian Gulf, showing distortion owing to the growth of a Balanus. 

 This specimen was obtained by Mr. F. "W. Townsend from the 

 telegraph cable near Fao. The barnacle had attached itself to 

 a portion of the shell covered by the mantle, and had been allowed to 

 grow to a remarkable size before being covered by the enamel of the 

 shell. A specimen of 6'. Ilauritiana, L. exists in the British Museum 

 (Nat. Hist.), collected by Col. F. J. Waring, C.M.G., in which a very 

 much larger specimen of Balanus is in precisely the same position. 



Mr. E. E. Sykes : Marine shells from the Gulf of Oman. These 

 formed part of the proceeds of a single haul of the dredge, taken by 

 Mr. F. W. Townsend in moderately deep water. The haul was 

 remarkable for the enormous number of species obtained. Also (on 

 behalf of Mr. G. B. Sowerby) a curiously banded form of Oliva 

 gihbosa, Born. 



Rev. E,. Ashington Bullen : Specimens of the shells of Tedacella 

 haliotidea, Drap., from "The Hermitage," Woking; also remarkably 

 large specimens of Chrysodomus antiquus from the English Channel, 

 and of Patella vulgata from Constantine Bay, Cornwall. 



Mr. H. B. Preston: Central African land and fresh-water shells, 

 including co-types and species recently described by Dr. Putzeys. 



NOTES. 



Note on the Dispersal of Mollusca. {Read IZth November, 1903.) — 

 After rough weather I have sometimes found on the blocks of stone which 

 protect the harbour of Bastia, on the north-east of the island of Corsica, quite 

 a vai'iety of shells of land and fresh-water mollusca, which have been carried 

 there by marine currents, aided by the Sirocco, from the shores of Tuscany 

 or the Roman Campagna. It seems therefore possible that some of the 

 species now living on the island may have been introduced in this manner, 

 having under favourable conditions survived the voyage. Of the forty-two 

 species which were found, sixteen have not as yet been met with living on 

 the island. For fuller details upon this subject see my memoir on the 

 land and fresh-water mollusca of Corsica (Bull. Soc. Sci. hist. nat. Corse, 

 1903, ann. xxii, pp. 26-31). E. Caziot. 



Note on theEpiphragms of Tha umastus Sango^ AmD T. bitjeniatus. 

 {Read Wth December, 1903.) — The epiphragm of Thaumastus i^angoce is 

 a very pretty but fragile structure, bemg calcareous and about as thick 

 as ordinary writing-paper. Unlike that of other species of Pulmonates 

 with which we are acquainted, its inner surface is not smooth, but exhibits 

 down the central part an irregular and somewhat broken up, delicate ridge, 

 from which a series of very fine thin ridges radiate towards what may be 

 termed the columellar margin, or, in other words, towards the side which, 

 when in position, rests against the columella of the shell. These delicate 

 ridges are irregular in length and form, some being curved and others 



