118 Dr. J. Gwyn Jeffreys on the Mollusca in 
arranged and interesting collection of eatable Mollusca. The 
word “eatable”” puts me in mind of my old friend Edward 
Forbes. When he went to Shetland he dredged in Lerwick 
Bay the large and now well-known Holothuroid Cucumaria 
frondosa, which resembles a pudding. He called it a 
“ comestible ;” and his boatman Peter, who was quite a cha- 
racter, afterwards took me with my dredge to the same spot, 
and was very proud of telling me the right name, which he 
had improved into ‘ combustible !” 
NEWFOUNDLAND. 
Also omitted in the Catalogue. Mr. T. A. Verkriizen 
supplied a case of marine shells, arranged with his usual care 
and neatness. Buccinum undatum, grenlandicum, tenue, and 
Tottent are represented by several varieties under not a few 
specific names. 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
An extensive and admirably displayed collection of the 
shells of Ostrea virginica or the American oyster. This 
species may always be known by the purplish or dark violet 
colour of the muscular scar. Its variability in shape and size 
is not less than that of its Huropean congener, O. edulis. 
In this section is to be seen an excellent model of the gigantic 
squid (Architeuthis Harveyi?) of Prof. Verrill; but unfortu- 
nately its extraordinary length has been somewhat curtailed 
by the clumsiness of a carpenter who set it up and fastened 
the arms or tentacles in such a manner that justice has not 
been done to the model. Here are also shown a model of the 
new exploring-ship or Fish-commissioners’ steamer ‘ Alba- 
tross,’ as well as sundry apparatus, such as improved kinds of 
trawl, dredge, accumulator, Sligsbee’s net for intermediate 
depths, and many other ingenious contrivances. 
FRANCE. 
Oysters only. 
HAIrTI. 
Common tropical shells without names. 
ITALY. 
A miscellaneous lot of small unnamed shells from Naples, 
mixed with exotic Nerite. Attached to the native corals, of 
which there is a large assortment, may be observed valves 
of Ostrea cochlear, showing how they had become altered in 
