Boston Society of Natural History. 387 



but one grew before, surely he deserves well of his country, who indi- 

 rectly converts barren sands into fruitful fields. 



August I, 1838. — Mr. J. E. Teschemacher, in the chair. 



After the reading of the records of the preceding meeting, Rev. Mr. 

 Malcom who was present, remarked in relation to the fossils brought by 

 him from Burmah, that they are found only at a small stream below the 

 city of Ava, where the region is perfectly sterile. The soil is clayey, and 

 the bones are very numerous and lie in abundance upon the surface. 

 The place abounds with petroleum wells, and this article is the only pro- 

 duct from whence the inhabitants derive their support. 



He remarked that the Spongia patera was found only at Singapore, 

 and always grows below low water mark, and is fished up by divers. 



A specimen of Burman tea was presented by him. It is raised in the 

 interior and compressed into globular masses of four or six inches in di- 

 ameter, some substance, said to be blood however, being mixed in to 

 cause their cohesion. These are brought to the sea ports on the backs 

 of mules and sold at ten cents per pound. The Burmans use no other 

 tea, and yet Mr. M. found it to be unknown at Calcutta. He pronounced 

 it an excellent tea. 



Mr. C. B. Adams, read a paper entitled "Remarks on some species of 

 shells found upon the southeastern shore of Massachusetts." They were 

 the results of his observations in several visits to that region, and contain 

 many interesting facts as to the habits, localities, and varieties, and sev- 

 eral important characteristic additions to the original descriptions. 



CoLUMBELLA AVAiiA, Say. Differs a little from Say's description ; 

 costse 14 to 18 on the body whorl ; young shells are carinate at the ter- 

 mination of the costae. Found at New Bedford and vicinity, Falmouth, 

 Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, but not north of Cape Cod. 



BucciNUM viBEX, (Nassa vibex. Say. ) Number of revolving lines on the 

 body whorl more frequendy 9 or 10 ; as many as 3 t > 5 teeth on the inner 

 side of labrum. Rare. He had found five specimens about New Bed- 

 ford. Mr. P. G. Seabury had found others. They are all old and some- 

 what cretaceous, but in some the rufous bands are distinctly marked. It 

 has not been found north of Cape Cod. 



BucciNUM TRiviTTATUM, (Nassa trivittata. Say.) The two upper 

 bands of rufous are double, being on each side of one of the revolving 

 lines, and the third is often triple; the upper band is darkest, but in many 

 cases the bands from which the species derives its name are wanting. It 

 is generally covered with a dirty cinereous pigment. Abundant at Nan- 

 tucket, not unfrequent at New Bedford, and occasionally found living at 

 and near Boston. 



B. OBSOLETUM, (Nassa obsolcta. Say.) The cancellate and granulated 

 appearance mentioned both by Say and Kiener (J5, oliviforme) is not a 



