Bairstow : Natural History Notes from South Africa. 163 



which fade rapidly. Luponia Algoensis is a rara avis known to me by 

 name only. Doubtless it may escape detection sometimes from its 

 similarity to the former. G. moneta (sp. ?) has been taken — come 

 astray ! Trivia otiiscus, one of my favourites, is fairly common, and 1 

 have a smaller one not yet determined. Ti/p/ds (Fig. 6) is a scarcity 

 here but abundant at the Kowie. One of my prizes is the large 

 Turritella (Fig. 4), somewhat water-worn, but bearing evidences of 

 fulvous striae and markings. I picked it up during a Society ramble 

 from Colga to Zwartkops. Unfortunately the outer lip of aperture is 

 partly broken at the dotted line {vide fig-), but the shell, if not a cast- 

 away from foreign seas, is a rarity. 



The TentJiia figured on plate (Fig. 7) was first dredged by Mr. Rous 

 near the mouth of the Zwartkops (aboard the steam-tug "James Searle"), 

 since when numbers have been secured by various fishermen. I am 

 endeavouring to obtain a specimen of the living animal from which to 

 make a drawing. The figure was taken from a shell given to me by 

 Mr. Rous. Cuttles abound in the sea, and I fancy their shells might 

 be turned to some commercial advantage. In my beachian rambles I 

 have met scores of fishermen in search of " sea-cats" for bait. I give 

 an account of the method of capture employed, as expressed to me by 

 a cute member of the craft : — " I lugs 'em hout wi' my 'ookstick. I 

 smashes 'em hon the rocks huntil they're slickered. I turns 'em 

 hinside hout, I 'angs 'em hon the 'ook, and when I'se got 'em hon, I 

 works ontil I've got henuf, and then I goes 'ome and 'as refresher- 

 ments !" Short, sweet, sufficient ! I may here mention my welcome 

 friend Argonauta argo^ the glorious Paper Nautilus, to be looked for 

 after a south-easter anywhere along the beach, a cephalopod luxury to 

 the eyes of naturalist Croesus, Lazarus, European, Colonial, or nigger, 

 &c., &c. We have numerous species of Fissiirella, of which the 

 small hiatula is commonest, but it is hard to procure good specimens 

 of the large ones in the adult stage. Mr. Woodward remarks twenty- 

 two species of TrocJius from S. Africa. I have only taken three or four 

 on the Algoa coast, and none in remarkably good condition. The 

 fragile Triton dolarius^ with its shady green epidermis, is very 

 abundant at all times, and I find the epidermis preserves moderately 

 well. 



This genus is largely developed, and I have bagged some living 

 monsters. They are extremely hardy, surviving after immersion in 

 scalding water. Ancient specimens lose all their exterior beauty, and 

 the rich bloom of colour disappears, enveloped in hideous punctated 

 excrescences of carbonate of lime, and conglutinate rubbish. Our 



