Quarterly /our?ml of Concliology. 371 



masses of coral, neither grass nor water to be seen, the only 

 vegetation consisting of a itw stunted cacti and still fewer acacia 

 bushes, this was so rich in shells that of several species enough 

 specimens could have been collected in a few yards to supply, I 

 should suppose, all the shell cabinets in the world. I have 

 frequently collected a larger number oi species during a single 

 excursion, but never before seen so many individuals living in so 

 limited a space of ground. 



The stones, plants and ground were covered with StropJiia 

 uva, L. Tiidora inegacJicila, P. & M., was in equal abundance, 

 suspended by its silk-like thread from Acacia boughs, or strewed 

 thickly along the ground underneath. A Bidimuliis (B. rinilti- 

 Uneatus v. Sisale?ists) abounded on the smaller boughs, while under 

 masses of coral Macroceramus i/ienm's, Gundl, Fi/_pa Farra/afia, 

 D'Orb., and P.pellucida, Pfr., were abundant. In the loose soil 

 Cylindrella Baveni, Bland, Cistida Raveni, Bland, and a curious 

 Cionella were so numerous that a spade would have been the 

 best instrument with which to collect them. I wasted a good 

 deal of valuable time in separating them from the soil, when by 

 simply taking away a few handfuls of mould, I might have 

 obtained a larger number of specimens. A species of Stenogyra 

 and a Succinea complete a list, all of which might have been 

 gathered from almost any square yard of ground on the hill-side. 



I cannot conclude this account without bearing evidence to 

 the invariable kindly interest taken in the proceedings of a shell 

 collector by the W. Indian negro — it is the solitary good trait I 

 noticed in the race. In the above, as in many other shell-hunting 

 expeditions, they were very useful. I shall not readily forget a 

 scene in Georgetown, Demerara, where about half-a-hundred 

 volunteers, of both sexes, assisted me in collecting Ampidlarias 

 from a ditch in one of the principal streets. 

 Dec, 1877. 



