List of Shells Collected on the West Coast of Africa, etc. 339 



''St Paul de Loanda, on the east coast of the Gulf of 

 Guinea, was visited from February 10 to 17, 1886. The 

 majority of the shells were found on the small island oppo- 

 site the town, and separating the anchorage from the ocean* 

 This island consists exclusively of sand ; it is low throughout, 

 and will no doubt soon become united to the mainland at 

 one, at least, of its ends, on account of the immense quantity 

 of sand yearly carried down to the anchorage from the soft 

 sandstone, or sandy cliffs, in the vicinity of and behind the 

 town. Near the coaling jetty, on the mainland, a few speci- 

 mens were got, and a few more were also dredged in shallow 

 water in the anchorage, being brought up with large masses 

 of Zoophytes. Most of the specimens were found dry on 

 the seaward face of the island just referred to, where remark- 

 able undulations of the sand, similar to what may be seen 

 in miniature on a sandy beach on our own coasts, form dune- 

 like masses, standing almost at right angles to the coast. 



" Porto Pray a, Cajpe Verde Islands.-— A call was made here 

 on the homeward voyage, in March 1886, but only a few 

 shells were gathered at the base of the richly fossiliferous 

 cliffs surrounding the bay opposite the town. A large num- 

 ber were, however, purchased from a native, by whom they 

 had been gathered in the neighbourhood ; but on examina- 

 tion, these were found to have been selected rather with 

 respect to size and elegance than with the object of procuring 

 the greatest variety of forms. 



" Gran Canaria.-^The remarkable isthmus connecting the 

 isleta to the main island was examined for a few hours on 

 December 13, on the outward passage. ISTear the water- 

 level it was found to consist of soft, richly fossiliferous 

 sandstone, which readily crumbled even on slight pressure. 

 Imbedded shells were found belonging to the same species 

 as were found living on the beach in the immediate vicinity; 

 where Helices, Cones, and Cerithia were not unfrequent," 



