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OCCASIONAL NOTES. 61 
I do not think it has been met with on the coast of Banffshire——THomas 
Epwarp (Banff). 
[Couch, who calls it “The Morris” and the “ Anglesea Morris,” from 
the name of the discoverer and the place where it was found, says (vol. iv., 
p- 848) it has been met with round the whole extent of the British coast, 
even to Caithness, where an example was obtained by Mr: Peach.—Eb.] 
Rep Moutier 1x DecemBER.—The occurrence of Red Mullet, Mullus 
surmuletus, at this season of the year, in British waters is exceedingly rare, 
if not unprecedented; yet I have to record the capture in our Bay, on the 
24th December, of the largest recorded specimen. It appeared to be in 
excellent condition, measuring 1 foot 4 inches over all; in length, 1 ft. in. 
from eye to fork; its greatest girth, 103 inches; and its weight, 42 ounces. 
This enormous weight, of two pounds ten ounces, has never, I believe, been 
observed before of this fish in British Seas—THomas Cornisu (Penzance). 
ApynormaL GrRowrH oF a New Zeatanp Lanp Swain. — A very 
remarkable specimen of a rare shell, Paryphanta Hochsettert (Pfeiffer), 
was presented to the British Museum last year by Mr. T. L. Travers. It 
was collected in the same part of New Zealand whence the first described 
example came. The exact locality is the Whakamarama range of mountains, 
which are situated north-west of Nelson. The shell was very much crushed 
when received by the Museum, yet not absolutely broken, with the exception 
of the apical whorls, which were completely smashed into the cavity of the 
penultimate whorl. The peculiarity of the specimen consists in the flexibility 
of its substance, and the total absence of the shelly deposit which lines the 
interior of normal specimens, thus producing a somewhat solid and un- 
pliable structure. On immersion in boiling water it speedily became pliant, 
and I was consequently enabled to restore it to its probable natural form 
by stuffing it with wool. This curious flexible texture, resembling in a 
remarkable degree the husk of a chestnut, both as regards colour and 
pliancy, at first led me to conclude that it was a new and very strange form. 
However, subsequent and more careful examination and comparison of it 
with P. Hochstetteri convinced me that it was a specimen (about half the 
size of a full-grown one) of that species which, through some unpropitious 
circumstance, had been reared in a situation where it was unable to obtain 
the quota of carbonate of lime requisite for the production of the internal 
shelly lining. Although there are other differences, such as the absence of 
yellowish colour in the epidermis, except around the middle of the body- 
whorl, where there are traces of it, and the lack of subgranulation on the 
upper surface, I think these may be ascribed to individual variation, and 
not accounted specific distinctions. Both this species and P. Busbyi, also a 
