"SLIPPER LIMPET'' OB "BOAT SHELL." 409 



have not been observed by him in the Boston (River Witham) 

 estuary. We have no information as to the southern por- 

 tion of the Wash, or around Norfolk and Suffolk coastal lines 

 generally. 



Essex and Kent. — It has to be noted that about 1880 or a 

 few years earlier Mr. Musson, a Liverpool firm, established an 

 agency (Mr. Stammers) at Brightlingsea. The former regularly 

 imported American Oysters, and these were transmitted on to 

 Brightlingsea in quantity, and sold and distributed among the 

 various Essex Oyster merchants and Oyster growers for relaying. 

 The business, so far as we know, still continues. At a meeting 

 of the Essex Natural History Field Club, held at Brightlingsea in 

 September, 1891, Mr. Walter Crouch* exhibited the shell of a 

 specimen of the " Slipper Limpet " (Crepidula fornicata) fixed 

 to the back of an Oyster-shell. This he had picked up on the 

 beach, and he traced the origin of the specimen as derivative of 

 the American Oysters imported. Furthermore, in March, and 

 again in April, 1893, he received from John Bacon, t a Burnham 

 dredger, live examples of said species. This form of shell-fish. 

 Bacon assured him, he had seen in the Rivers Crouch and 

 Roach for some fifteen or more years previously, but then they 

 were quite scarce. He seemed doubtful as to American Oysters 

 or spat being laid down in those rivers (?). He mentioned they 

 were common in the Blackwater. In May and in September, 

 1898, Mr. CrouchI received from Dr. Laver (of Colchester) 

 living specimens from the River Coine, these containing masses of 

 yellow spawn inside the shell. The specimens were large ones. 



Coming to the Thames estuary, the Oyster-beds in " The 

 Ray," opposite Leigh (now practically closed), formerly passed 

 in succession through the hands of Messrs. Baxter, Tabor, 

 Hammond, and, lastly, Hobart. We are indebted to Frank 

 Bridge, formerly foreman, who tells us that it is quite over 

 twenty years since Americans, viz. " East Rivers " and " Blue 



- ' Essex Naturalist,' vol. v. p. 260. 



f Ibid., vol. viii. p. 36. 



I Ibid., vol. X. p. 351 (1898). Here may be added the names of a few 

 other observers, to wit: W. M, Webb (1897), Wm. Cole (1904), J. E. Cooper 

 and John French (1906). Their examples were respectively from Bright- 

 lingsea and the Crouch Eiver (see ' Essex Naturalist,' vols, x., xiii. and xv. ; 

 and Proc. Malacol. Soc. vol. vii.). 



