2 86 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



that we cannot find in any of the British works at 

 bur command. When your brother * gets his carboni- 

 ferous paper off his hands, he will look over a few of 

 these doubtfuls ; but I know that he does not want 

 to be perplexed with any other work of that kind 

 until that of the carboniferous is done. I send you 

 a few of the prevailing foraminifera. I will now 

 look over the shells, and send you the list as far as I 

 can make them out." 



At the same period he writes to Dr. Dickie, 

 Professor of Botany in Aberdeen, in regard to one 

 of the sea-weeds from Scilly, which could not be 

 identified with any of those in Harvey's " Phycologia 

 Britannica." 



With Professor Victor Carus, who was acting as 

 deputy professor in Edinburgh during Wyville 

 Thomson's absence on the Challenger, Robertson 

 was also now in friendly correspondence. To him 

 he showed a young Pentacrimts, which was one of the 

 rarities secured at the Scilly Isles. 



To Gwyn Jeffreys he wrote on the subject of the 

 shells from the same locality ; and Dr. Jeffreys' 

 answer drew forth the following little note, which is 

 of interest in regard to the eminent conchologist to 

 whom it was written : 



"September 4, 1873. 

 "MY DEAR SIR, 



" Many thanks for your kind and prompt 

 reply to my queries. It was really exceedingly 

 provoking, the way you were prevented from joining 



* II. B. Brady, the great English authority on the foraminifera. 



