2J2 The Journal of the Indian Archipelago. 



thread, from the branch of a tree ; when in motion, it leaves behind 

 it a shining track like that of a snail ; at the sides of an elongated 

 proboscis are two tentacula, apparently short, blunt, and with eyes 

 at their extremities : now as the genus Cerithium is described as 

 having the eyes at the base of the tentacula, this would appear a 

 very remarkable deviation, and I was disposed to consider it as such 

 until I had an opportunity of remarking the movements of the 

 animal in water, where it is as often found as on land. When close- 

 ly observed in that element, it is seen to expand two slender-point- 

 ed tentacula of so delicate a structure, that when out of the water 

 they are lax, flaccid, and doubled under the protuberant eye, so as 

 to be almost invisible. The shell has been found in running streams, 

 but more commonly in the brackish water of canals or ditches. 



" The very numerous genus of * Cyprsea' or the ' Cowry' shell, is 

 too well-known to require a formal description, the largest species 

 found here is the ' Cypreea tigris,' which is prettily spotted with black, 

 being showy, it is frequently made into snuff boxes in England, the 

 animals of several have been described and figured by authors. The 

 mantle is so large as to cover all the shell, on the back of which 

 there is often a longitudinal line, which marks where its two folds 

 meet : this membrane continually secretes an abundance of viscid 

 fluid which lubricates the shell, and preserves the beautiful polish 

 which has procured for them the name of porcelain shells. I shall 

 only make particular mention of two kinds, the young or spawn, of 

 which I have been fortunate enough to obtain in their earliest stage 

 of existence. 



" The ' Cyproea olivacea' is the most abundant of the Singapore 

 cowries, being found on most beaches under flat stones, it is of the 

 size and much the colour of an olive, except that the back is generally 

 mottled with brown, and the mouth somewhat yellow ; the specimen 

 which I found with the young attached, was fixed in the usual man- 

 ner to the lower surface of a stone, on raising it there was found 

 adhering to it, a flat circular membrane, broader than the shell, trans- 

 parent, and dotted with minute grey spots, like grains of sand, on 

 placing the substance in a glass of sea water, numbers of the grains 

 dropped out of the membranous mass to the bottom of the glass, and 

 immediately assumed rapid and lively movements, some revolving in 



