Reminisences of a Naturalist. j 



soon reached the house which was to be our base. Our stay in 

 this region was not very satisfactory. All the time we were there 

 the wind and sea were rough, and it was dreary and chilling in 

 the extreme, and the collecting ground we found to be quite 

 limited. At low tide we obtained specimens of Macana nasuta 

 and M. Secta var edulis, also Tapes Pettitti from the same hole 

 and at the same time by digging in the mud, Lasea rubra was also 

 abundant; an occasional red abalone (H.rufescens) was met with, 

 and I had the pleasure of finding a few specimens of Trivia Cali- 

 fornica (which I had previously detected alive at Monterey) among 

 the smaller drift of the beich. Near the Trivia, as I had antici- 

 pated, I got a few specimens of the stumpy corals that I discovered 

 the Trivia to be parasitic upon at the more southerly point. But 

 it is not so much for the rehearsing of the "finds," as for another 

 matter, that has led me to mention the Bodega trip. 



While climbing over the bald and rocky Head, which has been 

 roughened all over like a coarse rasp or file, by the weathering 

 out of the softer components, leaving the harder quartz portion 

 sticking out all over the surface in jagged tooth-like projections, 

 hunting for anything in our line and getting nothing but some 

 peculiarly rough specimens of Littorina planaxis; I heard a cry or 

 call from the Doctor, and on looking up was unable to see him. 

 He was not in sight; but a minute or two before he had been 

 nearly at my side. For a moment my heart stopped beating; I 

 thought he had fallen, or been washed or swept into the ocean. 

 On scrambling over the rocks, I saw him just " picking himself 

 up," a wave of unusual height and volume had struck hmi behind 

 as he stood with his back to the sea, and had thrown him forward 

 and down with great force, his hands, which he had extended to 

 save himself as he fell, were badly cut by the sharp points of the 

 quartz, and were bleeding considerably. It was bad enough as it 

 was, but the shock I received at his momentary disappearance on 

 that occasion, has remained as the chief souvenir of our Bodega 

 expedition, which altogether was an unprofitable affair. Though 

 the northerly distribution of Trivia Californica was by this visit 

 shown to be a hundred miles further north than before credited. 



I am happy to know that my esteemed friend, though carrying 

 the burden of many years, is still in rugged health, and continues 

 to find the same pleasure in nature and the particular growth ot 

 natural form that he is so familiar with, that he did in the begin- 

 ning, in the years before we met. As is generally known, many 

 years ago the Newcombian Collection was purchased by Ezra S, 

 Cornell, for the Cornell University, at Ithaca, N.Y.,and Dr. New- 

 comb has been retained as custodian ever since its purchase. He 

 is constantly active and adding to it every day. Long may he 

 continue in life and health, is the wish of all who know him. 



R. E. C. Stear?is 



