8 Director's Annual Report. 
of these lots are sorted, but in a number only the larger speci- 
mens have been picked out. I estimate that at least two hundred 
thousand shells are contained in these lots. 
“One of the most important finds of the year was made by 
Mr. Thaanum in the valley of Waimano, Oahu. It was a pocket 
of fossil earth, and the whole amount could not have been more 
thana bushel. Forty-two species of shells were found in this earth 
and there must have been originally thousands of shells contained 
in it. Six new species of Exdodonta alone were found in this lot. 
Although some of the species are still found alive in the neighbor- 
hood of this deposit, the bulk of the species seem to be related 
more closely to those found at present on the Waianae Range than 
to those of the Koolau Mountains. 
‘“The value of working out the species of these fossil beds 
cannot be overestimated. Dr. Pilsbry has shown, from his study 
of the Amastra that there is undoubtedly a possibility that at one 
time these islands were joined together. It is the hope of your 
Curator to carry on this study with the other genera of shells. 
The finding of these fossil beds, some of which are close to the 
seashore, proves that at one time the islands were wooded to the 
sea. Not only this, but by correlating the species of fossil shells 
found in these beds with the related living species and what is 
known of their habitats, I feel sure at some time we shall be able 
to know almost the exact character of the ancient forests which at 
one time covered these islands. 
“On December 22, Mr. W. M. Giffard kindly presented to the 
Museum the collection of land shells made by his late brother. 
This collection contains the largest specimen of an Oahuan tree 
shell I have ever seen, and also a sinistral specimen of Achatinella 
lorata which is, as far as I know, unique. 
‘“Those from whom gifts have been catalogued are: Mrs. H. 
Waterhouse; Misses H. Hatch, A. T. Cooke and C. A. Cooke; 
Messrs. H. A. Pilsbry, D. Thaanum, I. Spalding, J. S. Emerson, 
[48] 
