2 , The H'esf Amefican Scicnlist. 



development of agriculture, these shells have been gradually, 

 even rapidly decreasing, and now have, it is said, ceased to be 

 numerous. Dr. Newcomb described many new species, and 

 probably has the hnest collection in the world of these forms. 

 His residence in the islands also gave him unusual advantages in 

 the way of obtaining shells from the whaling vessels which at that 

 time made Honolulu a base for supplies, etc. ; and, again, from hi« 

 missionary friends who were established in other islands near or 

 remote, who occasionally visited Honolulu, he received many 

 additions to his collection of much value. As Dr. Newcomb has 

 always been liberal in explaining and giving outright his sample 

 specimens, he naturally received from many grateful recipients of 

 his favors whatever they could furnish that might be desiderata 

 to him. He also, as before stated, reckoned many well-known 

 and leading conchologists among his correspondents and friends, 

 and Cuming especially contributed many rare and desirable spe- 

 cies to the Newcomb museum in return for what the Doctor had 

 sent to enrich the Cumingian cabinet. After Dr. Newcomb came 

 to California and made Oakland his home, he continued as before 

 with unremitting effort to add to his already large and valuable 

 collection by collecting himself the shells of the Pacific coast, and 

 by encouraging and assisting others to do the same. He has 

 described several species of West American land and marine 

 shells, and his conchological papers have been published in the 

 proceedings of the California Acadc7}iy of Scie^ices and elsewhere. 



The good Doctor has also collected in the field at all the prin- 

 cipal points on the coast of California, on both sides of the Lthmus 

 of Darien, viz., Panama and Aspinwall; in the San Domingo and 

 on both coasts of Florida, and quite likely elsewhere. 



I shall never forget a little trip to the coast made by Doctor 

 Newcomb and myself about 1867. We were led to investigate 

 the neighborhood of Bodega, and had a tiresome ride one day by 

 stage to the ' Corners ' ( Bodega Corners) where we had to stop 

 over night before we could go on. We had an uncomfortable 

 room together on the ground floor of the only public house there, 

 so near the bar-room that we were kept awake long after we had 

 gone to bed by the loud talk, wrangling, and profanity which sur- 

 passed in volume and unceasing flow anything I had ever before 

 experienced. The next morning we were both glad to get away 

 from such a ' hell-hole,' and after paying our bill the Doctor 

 remarked to the landlord that he had never been in a place where 

 such gross profanity prevailed, and he hoped never to have such 

 an experience again. 



The landlord was so abashed by my friend's comments and 

 rebuke, that not only he, but some of the rough looking loafers 

 sitting near, really appeared to exhibit some shame. Alter leav- 

 ing we proceeded by stage to the Head, as the bold granite bluff 

 is called, that makes out into the ocean in this neighborhood, and 



