Royal Physical Society. 399 



priety of adding this shell to the list of Scottish species. — 

 " If you think it necessary, you may mention that I found 

 four specimens of Achatina acicula eight or nine years ago, 

 in the Park of Binns, Linlithgowshire. They were dead shells, 

 lying at the roots of grass. Sometime before that I found a 

 single broken specimen on Belhaven Sands, near Dunbar, at a 

 point where a stream reaches the sea, and which doubtless had 

 brought it down. Forbes does not say that it is unknown in 

 Scotland, but that it ' probably ceases in the south of Scotland. 

 It is described by Montague under the name of Buccinum 

 terrestre, and as such it is included in the catalogue of North 

 British shells which is appended to the supplemental volume of 

 Montague's " British Testacea." Larkey is considered some- 

 what doubtful authority by Forbes ; but one of my specimens 

 was got near the locality he specifies. Henry gives England 

 as its only British locality, and M'Gillivray does not mention 

 it." Dr Lowe also desired to remark, that his friend Dr Wil- 

 liam Timplar, of Dorsetshire, had, during a visit to Largs on 

 the Clyde, in 1856, found a specimen of this shell in the valley 

 of the Gogo, near that place ; he did not know whether it was 

 dead or alive when found. 



II. Introductory Eeport on the Natural History of the Pearl Oyster 

 (Maleagrina margaritifera, Lam.') of Ceylon. By E. F. Kelaart, 

 M.D., Trincomalie. Communicated by R. Kaye Greville, LL.D. 



(Of this Report, which was read at length, the following is the substance.) 



Having understood that some account of my researches into 

 the natural history of the pearl oysters of Ceylon is desirable, 

 even at this early period of my labours, I shall endeavour briefly 

 to sketch a report, that can only be considered in the light of 

 an introduction to a more extensive and prolonged series of 

 observations which, if means are afforded me, may be brought 

 to a more speedy conclusion than I have any prospect of doing 

 at present. Before I proceed to detail the results of my 

 researches, since I was commissioned by his Excellency the 

 Governor, in March last, to undertake this desirable investi- 

 gation, I have to acknowledge the great facilities which the 

 aquarium gives for the investigation of the natural habits of 

 molluscs, and other moderately sized fresh and sea- water ani- 



vol. i. 2n 



