352 NATURAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. 



indicate any proper sources of information regarding that 

 <juarter. 



The eastern shores of Africa are, in respect to this, as 

 well as all other branches of natural history, almost entirely 

 unknown. 



With the species of the western coasts we are somewhat 

 better acquainted. Adanson described many of the shells 

 of Senegal, and Bowdich a few from the Gambia. Maug«5, 

 Von Buch, and Bowdich made small collections from Ma- 

 deira, Teneriffe, and Porto Santo. Those islands are said 

 to be rich in peculiar species, and therefore merit more 

 particular attention than has yet been bestowed upon them. 

 Along the western coasts numerous species also occur which 

 are common to the tropical seas ; such as Cyprcea Tigrisy 

 monetae and helvola, — several Olives, Cones, and Volutes, 

 the pearl-oyster, Mdcagrina margaritiferOy &c. 



Of the land and fresh-water shells of the interior of this 

 continent scarcely any thing is known. Le Vaillant de- 

 scribed only a single species from Caffraria, though Dela- 

 lande afterward collected many in that country ; and 

 Bruce and Burchell have incidentally noticed a few from 

 Abyssinia and the more southern districts. 



At the Cape of Good Hope the quantities of shells which 

 cover the beaches are immense, and the natives frequently 

 employ them for lime. But the heavy surf which so often 

 thunders along the shores of this promontory (the Cape of 

 Storms) seems to prevent the shells from being frequently 

 gathered in a perfect state ; and South African specimens 

 are therefore more rare in collections than might be expected. 

 The coasts of Madagascar are said to be particularly rich 

 in fine shells, although we have acquired as yet but a very 

 meager knowledge of the testaceous productions of that 

 great island. If its climate and political circumstances 

 admitted of a closer and more assiduous search, treasures 

 of great value would no doubt reward the toils of the con- 

 chological collector. 



The northern and western coasts, though separated by 

 80 wide an extent of barren sands, offer in this department 

 a few remarkable analogies. The Anadonta rubeiis of the 

 Nile is found specifically the same in Senegal, and the 

 Helix flammata of Nubia has been observed along the banks 

 of the Gambia. Among the African shells, a few occur 



