J 826.] Scientific Notices — Zoology/. 465 



This peat-moss is situate about a mile and a half, or two miles 

 (we understood him to say) from Greta Bridge, and about two 

 miles from the river Tees. That cockles had existed in that 

 spot for a period of unknown antiquity is ascertained from the 

 name of the farm in which this peat moss occurs, and which it 

 has borne for centuries-Cocklesbiai/. Specimens of the cockles 

 were laid on the table by Mr. Witham, and of the sand in which 

 they burrowed ; and live specimens would have been exhibited, 

 but from the circumstance of the ditch being frozen over when a 

 friend visited the place for the purpose of procuring them. The 

 cockles are found in considerable quantity. Mr. VV. gathered a 

 number, and even had the curiosity to eat some of them. They 

 differed but little in taste from the common cockle, unless it were 

 that they seemed not quite so salt. 



The specimens of the shells exhibited by Mr. Witham, and 

 of which the writer of this notice, by the kindness of that gentle- 

 man, is in possession of one, agree in every respect with those 

 found on most of our sandy shores — the Cardium edule of 

 Linnaeus. They are of the ordinary size, and nothing in their 

 external appearance would lead any one to suspect they were 

 from a locality so very different. With the exception of one 

 instance, which has been pointed out to us by a scientific friend, 

 nothing similar, as far as has come to our knowledge, has been 

 remarked before ; though the publication of Mr. Witham's dis- 

 covery, by directing attention to the subject, may lead to 

 the knowledge of collateral facts. The instance alluded to is 

 found in the Description of Zetland, by John Brand, published in 

 1701 ; and as the statement is interesting, and the book in 

 which it occurs of considerable rarity, we give the passage 

 in the words of the author : 



" A gentleman, in the parish of Dunrossness, told one of the 

 ministers in this country, that about five years since, a plough in 

 this parish did cast up fresh cockles, though the place where the 

 plough was going was three-quarters of a mile from the sea ; 

 which cockles the gentleman saw made ready and eaten. How 

 these shell fishes came there, and should be fed at such a dist- 

 ance from their ordinary element, I cannot know, if they have 

 not been cast upon land by a violent storm, much of the ground 

 of this parish, especially what they labour, lying very low, and 

 the sea hath been observed in such storms both to cast out stones 

 and fishes ; or if these cockles have been found in some deep 

 furrow, from which to the sea there hath been a conveyance by 

 some small stream, upon which the sea hath flowed in stream 

 tides, especially when there is also some storm blowing. If only 

 shells were found, such as of oysters and the like, the marvel 

 would not be great, seeing such are found upon the tops of high 

 mountains, at a greater distance from the sea, which, in all pro- 

 bability, have been there since tlie universal deluge ; but that 



New Series, vol. xi. 2 h 



