276 Quarterly Joiaiial of Conchology, 



In August last I went to Oban for the purpose of examin- 

 ing the fauna of the Bay more minutely than I had previously had 

 opportunity of doing when merely staying there for a night or so 

 in years gone by, on my way to dredging grounds further to the 

 north. 



It is necessary that I should mention that during my recent 

 visit my attention was chiefly directed to the Polyzoa, Crustacea, 

 Hydrozoa and Sponges.* The MoUusca were regarded by me as 

 of secondary moment, as I was not likely to find, in such a locality, 

 anything that was new to me ; and, although the larger species 

 which could be seen with the unassisted eye in the sieves while 

 at sea were carefully picked out, the finer sand and mud were not 

 saved for home examination. Had my aim been merely the pro- 

 curing of shells, the following list would no doubt have been con- 

 siderably extended as regards the smaller species [Rissoa, 

 Odostomia, &c.); although the locality does not seem so favour- 

 able for minute as it is for the larger Mollusca. 



The boat employed was a small row-boat with two oars. The 

 depth dredged never exceeded 16-20 fathoms; and the area 

 examined was purposely very restricted. It only embraced Oban 

 Bay, lying to the north of a line drawn from Oban to Kerrera, and 

 thence to the " Maiden Isle," and perhaps three-quarters of a mile 

 round the point on which DunoUy Castle stands. Kerrera Sound 

 to the south of Oban, Loch Linnhe outside of the Island of 

 Kerrera, and Loch Etive were left wholly unexplored. 



Taking these circumstances into consideration, the concho- 



logist who casts his eye down the following list will be in a 



' position to understand — first, that the MoUuscan fauna of the Bay 



* I hope before long to publish elsewhere some notes with respect to the 

 animals of these classes which were procured. Many sjecies new to our fauna 

 or to science were obtained. 



