210 Mr. J. Alder on Montacuta ferruginosa. 



2. Streptosolen Benthami (an nov. sp. vel prsecedentis var. ?) ; — ra- 

 mulis griseo-hirsutulis ; foliis ovatis, minus rugosis, lsete viri- 

 dibus, nervis supra impressis, utrinque pilosulis, supra vix sca- 

 briusculis, breviter petiolatis; floribus subcymosis, pedicellis 

 calyce vix longioribus; calyce subinflato, late tubuloso, ore valde 

 obliquo, tubo pallide viridi, nervis fuscis lineato, dentibus 5, in- 

 sequalibus, ovatis, obtusis, cserulescentibus ; corolla? limbi lobis 

 brevibus, emarginatis, lobo antico (in alabastro postico) multo 

 majori, subreflexo. — Nova Granada, v. s. in herb. Hook, (inter 

 Mivir et Naranjas, altit. 7000 ped., Jameson). 



I have seen only a single and very meagre specimen of this 

 " small shrub," which has few flowers : the leaves are of the 

 same shape but somewhat smaller than in the foregoing species, 

 much smoother and of a lighter colour ; the flower is about the 

 size of that of S. Jamesoni ; the calyx is however larger, wider, 

 with much broader and more obtuse segments ; it increases some- 

 what in fruit to a length of 6 lines and a diameter of nearly 3 

 lines, and conceals the capsule, which is about 3 lines long ; it has 

 four thick coriaceous valves, is seated upon its stipitate support, 

 and encircled at base by the induvial remains of the corolla. 



XX. — Notes on Montacuta ferruginosa. By Joshua Alder. 



[With a Plate.] 

 9{jj • ffhioo 



The interesting little bivalve Montacuta ferruginosa, though 

 pretty generally diffused round the British coasts, has seldom 

 been observed in a living state, and no account of the animal has 

 been published, if we except the very imperfect one furnished by 

 myself to Professor E. Forbes for the * History of British Mol- 

 lusca/ This, though correct as far as it goes, is by no means a 

 complete description, having been taken under very unfavourable 

 circumstances. I was glad, therefore, to meet with another living 

 example of this species, which seemed less shy in displaying itself 

 than the former one. It was taken from the stomach of a had- 

 dock, — a very unpromising locality certainly for meeting with 

 anything in a living state, — but the little creature on being placed 

 in sea-water appeared quite lively, and not visibly the worse for 

 the uncomfortable quarters from which it had been extracted. In 

 a short time it protruded the mantle beyond the shell, extended 

 its large foot, and began to crawl about. The mantle of this 

 species is curious and interesting from its showing a new modi- 

 fication of that part, intermediate between the plain anterior si- 

 phonal fold of Kellia rubra and the more elaborate form of mantle 

 in Lepton squamosum, and thus supplying the desired link to 

 * 



