18 THE NAUTILUS. 



Marginella apicina Mke. 



Wounta Haulover. In September and March, especially in the 

 former month, the N. E. trade wind dies away entirely, and instead, 

 the wind blows from the S. or S. E. across South America. By the 

 time it reaches the Caribbean it is the gentlest of zephyrs. The sea 

 becomes as blue as the sky and as calm as a mill-pond on a hot 

 August day. Under such conditions the shallow sea along the shore 

 swarms with small forms of mollusca, and the littoral and laminarian 

 collector is enabled to get forms not obtainable at any other time 

 except by dredging. M. apicina is found at this time in quantity. 



Marginella guttata Dillw. 



Also found at the same place and under similar conditions, but is 

 not as plentiful as the former. 

 Oliva (Agaronia") testacea Lam. 



This little mollusk seems to be absolutely at home in the sand at 

 the bottom of the shallow sea at Wounta Haulover. I think I am 

 safe in saying that this is the commonest laminarian univalve on the 

 Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. It is rarely cast up dead. I have 

 taken them alive in quantity whenever the sea was calm enough to 

 feel for them. With the Indian boys of my village I had a stand- 

 ing bargain to purchase all the small forms they brought me. That 

 was before I found my first Olive. I was in bathing one day, when 

 my foot, which soon became a good sub-marine shell-collector, acci- 

 dently touched something that got away. I went for it quicker than 

 it takes to write about it, and soon landed my first Olive. It was a 

 prize I was proud of. I schemed out a little plan to get more, and 

 confidentially let my house-boy in on the ground floor. I agreed to 

 pay him 5 cents (silver) for every similar shell. He smiled hope- 

 fully, but still I was not suspicious. My hope was to get two or 

 three sets for my friends. The boy soon disappeared, and quietly 

 marshalled the boys of the village, who immediately invaded the sea. 

 In less than an hour this little army confronted me with double 

 handfuls of these Olives. They enjoyed their corner in the Olive 

 market, and began unloading on me at 5 cents per. They allowed 

 me, after an explanation, to make a selection of several dozen at less 

 money. The rest went back into the sea. I kept a few alive in a 

 jar of water and sand for a long time. My observations were of 

 little interest, as the molluscs burrowed in the sand, and seemed to 

 want to go deeper. The foot is large and violet-colored, and with it 

 they dig rapidly. 



