JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 209 



A CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS A LIST OF THE 



MARINE MOLLUSCA AND BRACHIOPODA OF 



THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF OBAN. 



By G. W. chaster and W. H. HEATHCOTE. 



(Read before the Manchester Branch, October 12th, 1893.) 



In August last Captain Farrer, Messrs. Hardy and Standen, and 

 the authors made an excursion to Oban for the purpose of 

 studying the molluscan fauna of that locality, so rich in its 

 conchological treasures. 



Through the kindness of Mr. John Munro a capital steam 

 launch, the ' Lady of the Lake,' was engaged, in which for four 

 days we cruised about dredging in the neighbourhood, hauls 

 being made off Maiden Island, in Kerrera Sound, outside 

 Kerrera, off Lismore, and in the Sound of Mull. On other 

 occasions dredging operations were conducted from a rowing 

 boat, in which it was found practicable to work in depths up to 

 eighteen or twenty fathoms. The greatest depth from which 

 hauls were made was about thirty-five fathoms. In all seventy- 

 four successful hauls were made. 



The writers remained a few days after the return of the 

 rest of the party, in order to have an opportunity of searching 

 the shore during the recess of the highest spring tides of the 

 month. This shore work proved extremely troublesome and 

 laborious ; the Serpulce covering the stones cut the hands 

 severely, whilst the heat of the mid-day sun, together with the 

 exertion it was necessary to put lorth in order to move the 

 masses of rock under which were the objects sought, well nigh 

 prostrated both. So rich, however, was the reward in objects 

 of perennial interest that any temporary discomfort was far 

 outweighed. 



A considerable quantity (about three-quarters of a hundred- 

 weight) of the finer material from the dredgings was brought 



