52 



Hi b I i og raphical No t i res . 



them the appearance of being papered with a rich .scarlet cloth. In 

 former times they were the resort of numerous flocks of seals, which 

 took, in those cool recesses, their repose without fear of surprise ; 

 but they have now forsaken their ancient haunts, expelled by the too 

 frequent visits of lovers of the picturesque, or of poaching, and by the 

 revels of pleasure parties. A few rarities were found in the Haven, 

 of which the following may be specified : — Of Alga?, the only one 

 worth notice is Zonaria deusta, which spreads like a lichen over the 

 rocks in great profusion. The Millepora lichenoides, the Melobesioe, 

 and Corallina officinalis, occurred in every pool ; and it was easy to 

 demonstrate by the different-staged specimens there, that these pro- 

 ductions were merely different states of one species. The Halisarca 

 of Dujardin, perhaps the lowest of animal organizations, was noticed 

 in much abundance and perfection ; and we could easily imagine, 

 that, by the addition of siliceous spicula immersed and crossed in its 

 texture, it might become the Halichondria panicea of Fleming, which 

 grew alongside of it in several varieties. — Of the calcareous sponges, 

 there were met with Grantia coriacea, botryoides, foliacea, and a sin- 

 gular variety of G. ciliata. — Of Zoophytes, Coryne squamata, Lao- 

 medea gelatinosa, Sertularia pumila, Lepralia coccinea, Actinea mesem- 

 bryanthemum, abounded, and in especial perfection and beauty. — Of 

 the Echinodermata, no other species than Echinus esculentvs, Ophiura 

 fragilis and neglecta, occurred. The Echinus was generally hidden 

 by broken pieces of sea- weed, with which it covered its shell. — Of 

 the Mollusca tunicata there were many species remarkable for their 

 beauty ; but we can only specify the Ascidia rustica, Phallusia intes- 

 tinalis, and Aplidium ficus, for of the others the names could not with 

 certainty be determined. The calcareous stones were often found 

 perforated with Pholas crispata, and one stone was found by Captain 

 Mitford with many of the shells still living hidden in their excava- 

 tions. In one of these holes a good specimen of Venus perforans 

 was found ; and the Saxicava rugosa was not uncommon. A great 

 number of specimens of Lamellaria tentaculata of Montagu were taken, 

 showing that the species is liable to considerable variation in colour, 

 and in the degree of roughness of the mantle. — Several very minute 

 individuals of the Doris tuberculata were taken up unnoticed, until 

 after our return home, and it is remarkable that in these, some of 

 which were an eighth of an inch in length, there was no appearance 

 of branchiae. Another member of the family Dorida occurred, which 

 is without exception the most beautiful naked gasteropode we have 

 seen ; its name remains for future investigation. 



" Passing from the Haven, the party next crossed over a formation 

 of limestone, consisting of three beds, from three to four feet each 

 in thickness, which, at the point to the eastward of the north sands, 

 assume a singularly undulated appearance. Mr. Skafe has given a 

 very brief description of these, and a figure, illustrative of their un- 

 dulations, in Raine's History of North Durham, p. 172. Thence 

 we walked to the Snook, to the spot where Mr. Donaldson Selby is 

 boring for coal. Here the party separated, one division walking 

 towards the village in as direct a line as possible, that they might 



