182 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THE MOLLUSCA OF THE GREAT YARMOUTH 



DISTRICT. 



By A. Patterson. 



Until very recent years the Mollusca of the Yarmouth Dis- 

 trict, like the invertebrates in general, have received very little 

 attention at the hands of local naturalists. Mr. J. B. Beckett 

 (now of Lynn) in 1889 drew up what was the first authentic list, 

 in which nearly eighty species are enumerated, covering his 

 researches for the previous two or three years among the marine 

 and other animals of this order. I myself have not so fully 

 studied the species, and have in consequence entered largely 

 into the " findings " of Mr. Beckett, and have also had access to 

 the lists of one or two other county naturalists. 



The Mollusca, especially the marine species, are not ad- 

 vantageously studied without some trouble on the part of the 

 investigator, so few comparatively being found on our flat sandy 

 shore, and then but mostly as broken fragments of shells ; and 

 he must needs go afloat with dredge and proper apparatus to 

 secure the various species found frequenting the roadstead. I 

 have persuaded shrimpers to help a little in this matter, but, as 

 in the case of crustaceans, they either do not trouble, or have 

 not time to preserve "finds," or even should anything more than 

 usually attract their attention it is laid aside and afterwards for- 

 gotten, or more often the remark is passed, " I chucked it away, 

 seein' as you didn't come round for it." 



I have to thank Mr. F. W. Harmer, F.G.S., for a ticked list 

 of species found by himself and his son, Dr. S. F. Harmer, of 

 Cambridge, during a day or two's dredging in the neighbourhood 

 of Yarmouth and Lowestoft, when they met with nearly forty 

 species. 



The Cephalopods are uncertain visitors, except in the case of 

 the Little Squid (Sepolia Rondeletii), which is most abundant 

 here in the summer months. 



