346 The Naturalist of Cwnbrae. 



John Young, it is natural to associate that of his 

 assiduous colleague, Mr. David Robertson, F.G.S., 

 the results of whose microscopical researches, always 

 most freely communicated, have served to fill many a 

 blank in the 'Distribution Tables.'" While giving 

 to a new species the name Trocliammina Robertsoni, 

 Mr. Brady says, " For specimens of this exceedingly 

 minute and delicate form I am indebted to my friend, 

 Mr. David Robertson, F.G.S., of Glasgow, who dis- 

 covered it in some of the carboniferous shales of the 

 west of Scotland, and whose name therefore may 

 very properly be associated with it." Of another new 

 species, Endothyra subtilissima, he observes, " I know 

 of only a single specimen, that from which the figures 

 are drawn, which was found by Mr. Robertson in the 

 rich lower carboniferous shale of Brockley, in Lanark- 

 shire. It is not the only case in which my friend 

 Mr. Robertson's quick eye has detected minute, in- 

 conspicuous forms that have escaped the notice of 

 other observers." 



Those who are accustomed to regard the sand of 

 the sea-shore only as a convenient pathway for bathers 

 and playground for children with their kirtles above 

 the knee, would perhaps be surprised to find that 

 among the countless multitude of shapeless grains, 

 which are fragments of rocks and shells and various 

 other broken down materials, the sand also frequently 

 contains some perfect organisms, which, though not 

 larger than the other grains, have much beauty of 

 form in that small compass. Such are the foramini- 

 fera. They are some of them semi-transparent ; 

 others look as if they were made of fine white 



