350 report — 1856. 



Saxidomus. The tendency of the Muricida and Purpuridce to assume the 

 acanthoid type, is well known, both in these and the West Southern shores. 

 The Lithophagus Gruneri rests on tolerably satisfactory evidence from New- 

 Zealand as well as from Monterey. The wide-spread Strigilla carnaria, 

 even more like the usual Caribbean type than are the Mazatlan specimens, 

 here appears in tolerable abundance ; while even the Livonapica is stated to 

 have been found alive. Of course it may retain a lingering existence in the 

 upper seas, asLuci?ia tigerrina in the lower, while on the coast bordering on the 

 Caribbean it has died out ; but it is more natural at present to suppose it an 

 error. For the Litiopa divisa, an East Indian pelagic shell, said to have been 

 found on " Cape San Francisco," a locality of the same name occurs near the 

 Bay of Guayaquil. The sudden appearance of Haliotida>, of great size and 

 beauty, in the temperate shores of West N. America, is very remarkable. 

 Not a single specimen occurred in the vast Reigen collection, nor have any 

 been taken in Central America, or in South America, the head-quarters of 

 Chitonidae. On crossing the Pacific Ocean, however, we find that Japan, 

 which represents the same zone on the Asiatic coast, is equally rich in beau- 

 tiful forms. The following species are quoted from 



Japan. California 



Haliotis Japonica, Rve. 



gigantea, Chenm. 



discus, Rve. 



Siebaldii, Rve. 



aquatilis, Rve. 



Haliotis splendens, Rve. 



corrugata, Gray. 



Cracherodii, Leach. 



Calif orniensis, Swains. 



rufescens, Swains. 



Two of the Asiatic species, H. aquatilis, Rve., and H. Kamtschatkana, Jonas, 

 stretch upwards within the bounds of the Polar fauna in Behring's Sea ; 

 while the latter appears to have crossed the waters, and to have found its 

 way sparingly down the American coast. 



77. Of the fauna of Lower California, meaning the peninsula from 

 San Diego to Cape St. Lucas, one of the most interesting portions in the 

 American coast, but the least thoroughly investigated, very little is known, and 

 that little but inaccurately. The shells of San Diego, as collected by Nuttall, 

 are almost entirely distinct from those of the Gulf. Most of them belong 

 to the Upper Californian type, but several fresh species make their appear- 

 ance, which are still distinct from the Mazatlan fauna. This ground was 

 well searched by Messrs. Kellett and Wood ; and it is probable, though the 

 evidence is very slight, that many of the peculiar shells of their expedition, 

 such as Hinnites giganteus, Pseudoliva Kellettii, Sec, were obtained in this 

 district. The little that is known accurately of the peninsula, shows that the 

 stations on both shores of the Gulf belong essentially to the Panamic type; 

 those within the Gulf being even more tropical than those at the mouth ; as 

 evidenced by Oliva porphyria, Cassis coarctata, Oniscia tuberculosa, Terebra 

 robusta, and other Panama species not found in the Reigen collection : while 

 the Bay of Magdalena and other stations in the Pacific are peopled, prin- 

 cipally by the Californian colony moving southwards, and stopped at the 

 Cape by the upward equatorial current ; partly by Gulf shells making their way 

 round the corner ; and partly, it seems, by a special little fauna of its own. It 

 will be an abundant recompense for the labour of this Report, if it should 

 lead any careful naturalist to make a diligent search of the district, both as to 

 its shore shells and its pelagic species ; making accurate notes at the time 

 what species are taken alive and what dead ; in what circumstances and 

 quantities ; and with such precautions as shall effectually guard against all 



