MARSHALL: ADDII'IONS TO "BRITISH CONCHOLOGY. ISQ 



quadrata, but I subsequently found among his shells Several valves 

 undoubtedly belonging to this very rare species. 



Nof South Devon. See my note under Donax trunailus. 



C. exiguum Gmel. — Jeffreys' figure, by an error of the artist, is 

 inscribed C. exignum. 



var. subquadrata Jeff.— Aldemey (Marquand) ! 



C. nodosum Turt. — Upper Loch Fyne, 30 to 70 fathoms (Scott. 

 Fish. Board Report, 1897); Aberdeenshire, not uncommon (Dawson); 

 off Loch Ryan 2^i. 



A remarkable specimen taken from a haddock in Sutherlandshire 

 by Mr. William Baillie could easily be mistaken for C. papillosum. It 

 is deeper than usual, rounder, and more globose, and the ribs are 

 adorned with papillae instead of plates, 

 var. ovata Jeff. — Achil Island. 



C. edule L. — The inequivalve monstrosity appears to be very rare. 

 There is one in the Natural History Museum, and I have seen another 

 and larger one from Southend. 



A C. edule distinguished itself in a remarkable manner during the 

 summer of 19 10 by vanquishing a sea-gull single-handed. The gull 

 was observed in the air near the river Taw in Devon, flying in a very 

 erratic manner as if unable to keep its equilibrium, and it finally fell 

 to the ground. When approached it was found that its beaks were 

 closed and firmly held by the Crtr^/V/;;/, which had gradually suffocated 

 the gull. 



An equally curious episode occurred in the summer of 191 1 at 

 Craigton, near Linlithgow, where a water-hen was observed pecking 

 at an open Mytilns edulis attached to a rock, when the mussel 

 suddenly closed its shell and caught her tightly by the beak. The 

 poor bird made a desperate struggle, but could not release herself, and 

 was ultimately drowned by the rising tide. 



In this connection it may be interesting to add that quite recently, 

 at the Collingwood Hotel, Newcastle-on-Tyne, a plate of oysters was 

 stored in the pantry overnight, and next morning one of the oysters 

 was found to beholding a mouse between its valves. The "timorous 

 beastie " had made a desperate struggle for freedom, and had dragged 

 the oyster about a foot away from the plate, but the honours rested 

 with Ostrea edtilis, and the mouse was ignominiously captured. 



Far different from the above examples is the action of the New 

 Zealand "professional oyster-catcher," who deliberately thrusts its long 

 and powerful beak into the mollusc and invites a firm grip ; then, 

 with a determined and calculated wrench, it detaches the oyster from 

 its stronghold and takes it ashore to discuss at leisure. 



C. minimum Phil. — Off Fair Isle (Simpson) ! 



C. norvegicum var. rotunda Jeff. — Poole ; Milford Haven. 



