3990 Mollusks fyc. 



for this, and leave it for any suggestions the readers of the ' Zoologist ' may make on 

 so generally interesting a subject.— John Garland ; Dorchester, June 20, 1853. 



Capture of the Spiny Cross-fish (U raster glacialis) in Dalhey Sound, Ireland. — I 

 have to record the capture in Dalkey Sound of the spiny cross-fish (Uraster ylacialis, 

 Linn.) The specimen was taken on the 19th instant, in a lobster-pot; its dimensions 

 were as follow : — Length of rays in inches, Q\, 1\, 8, 1\, and 6£; first and second 

 rays, from eye to eye, 15 inches, third and fourth \§\ inches: disk, 1 inch by \\. 

 Colour : — back of rays bluish green, with purple patches ; around the eyes and ends 

 of the rays purplish ; spines at end of rays purplish, near the disk white at their tips, 

 at the base bluish green. In Forbes's ' British Star-fishes ' I find this species recorded 

 as occurring only on our western shores, if we except Belfast; I therefore thought this 

 notice of its occurrence so far East would be acceptable to some of the readers of the 

 ' Zoologist.' The specimen is at present in my possession, and is intended to be pla- 

 ced in the collection of the Dublin Natural History Society. — John Robert Kinahan ; 

 Sea-view Terrace, Donnybroolc, June 22, 1853. 



Occurrence of Mullens Top-knot (Rhombus hirtus) in Dalkey Sound. — I have also 

 to record the occurrence of Muller's top-knot (Rhombus hirtus), captured in the same 

 place on the 21st instant. The specimen was 5^ inches long, and has been presented 

 to the same collection.— Id. 



On the Geographical Distribution of the British Mollusca. 

 By William F. Templer, Esq. 



I was much pleased on perusing the ' Zoologist ' for the past six 

 months, to observe the increase of local collectors and local lists of 

 British land and fresh-water Mollusca. While the above may be 

 considered as affording signs of an increasing interest in terrestrial 

 Malacology, the absence of any notes on the marine Testacea indi- 

 cates an indifference in those residents by the sea-side, who may hap- 

 pen to be correspondents of the ' Zoologist.' 



If this does not arise from indifference, to what cause is it to be at- 

 tributed ? Is it owing to a supposition that the marine Mollusca are 

 not to be procured without the trouble and expense of dredging ? If 

 so, I hope to prove the fallacy of such an idea. It is true, that many 

 species cannot be obtained without dredging ; but of even the deep- 

 water species, many may be found thrown up in our sandy bays after 

 heavy gales. The littoral zone, however, is at all events accessible ; 

 and during the periods of spring tides the higher regions of the lami- 

 narian zone may be explored. The mollusks inhabiting these zones, 



