66 Praeger — The Marine Shells 



abundant in a dead state. Hyndman notes that it was dredged by bis party 

 in great quantity in 10 to 12 fatboms at Bally galley, on tbe Antrim coast, all 

 dead, but valves united and quite fresb, and tbat tbeir deatb was due, in Dr. 

 Dickie's opinion, to deposits from peat-bogs carried down by rivulets. Thro wn 

 up in abundance at Magilligan strand, but only single valves. Shells of unusual 

 size (2f X 2f inches) may be found at Orlock Point, Co. Down ; they have a 

 rather ancient appearance, and are probably washed in from the Turbot Bank. 

 Thompson cites this species sub P. pilosus. 



Area lactea, Linne. 



Hyndman dredged dead specimens of this shell on the Turbot Bank (25-30 

 fathoms) on three occasions. 



Area tetrag-ona, Poll. 



"Portrush in si tu — Ordnance Collectors. Magilligan, odd valves— W.T." 

 — Thompson. Hyndman obtained it dead on the Turbot Bank several times, 

 and records a single living specimen which he dredged in 50 fathoms, embedded 

 in a pebble of black limestone, off the Copeland Islands. Single valves fre- 

 quent on the Derry coast — E.L1.P. 



[Area barbata, Linne. 



1 ' ' This very perfect and new shell on our coasts was found alive, adhering 

 to an oyster from Killinchy in Strangford Lough, by Dr. M'Gee of Belfast,' 

 Brown. Never found since" — Thompson. It is a common Mediterranean 

 species, which is not admitted as native by any of our conchologists. There 

 must have been some mistake.] 

 Xiepton nitidum, Turton. 



Dredged alive by Waller on the Turbot Bank, and dead in the same vicinity 

 by Waller and Hyndman— Hyndman, 1858 Beport. 

 IVXontacuta substriata, Montagu. 



This little shell, whose peculiar habitat is the ventral spines of Spatangus 

 purpureus and other Echinoids, is noted by Thompson and Hyndman as living 

 at the entrance of Belfast Lough, in 20 to 30 fathoms, and by Dickie off 

 Strangford Lough, in 12 to 15 fathoms. 



Montacuta bidentata, Montagu. 



"Bangor, Belfast Bay (one specimen), 1834, Mr. Hyndman and W.T. 

 Bundoran, Mr. Warren" — Thompson. Hyndman, and Mr. Wm. Swanston 

 dredged it dead on the Turbot Bank. Cushendall — Belf. Mus. Coll. These 

 appear to be the only records of a species whose decline as a member of the 

 marine fauna must have been rapid, as our pleistocene clays yield it in great 

 profusion. 



IVTontacuta ferruglnosa, Montagu. 



Turbot Bank, dead — Hyndman. The M. ovata mentioned by Thompson is 

 probably this species ; he states that several examples of it were found on the 

 beach at Bundoran by Mrs. Hancock. 



