164 



The Nattjealist. 



great Ranella is seldom taken in good condition. I received one 

 minute species selected from a few thousand common shells from Port 

 Alfred, which was submitted to Mr. Woodward and determined 

 Ranella Jiastula, Reeve. At a first glance it looked like a flattened 

 Scalaria, and, occurring simultaneously, might be overlooked. Since 

 then Mr. Farquahar has obtained it on our coast. That gentleman 

 possesses also a splendid Oliva, and various other shells awaiting 

 recognition. We have two, if not three, species of Haliotis, Of 

 Buccinidcd, Bullia semipUcata [mde Woodward's diag.) generally visits 

 us in broken parts. B. annulata I never saw alive, but suspect it 

 occurs quite close to the shore ; and the common B. achatina came 

 sidling across my path with no instinctive forethought (!) during the 

 first of many beach rambles, and insinuatingly demanded attention as 

 an item of impressive Natural History. Since then I have made a 

 point of watching these most friendly carnivorous mollusca. The tide 

 is gradually casting ashore one of these immense MeduscE. Here it 

 comes, now settling its great smooth barrel-carcase on the sand, 

 patiently awaiting decomposition, atmospheric or aqueous, or perhaps 

 animal dissection. A family of Achatince is located somewhere about 

 the vicinity. By some subtle communication the stranger is either 

 seen, smelt, felt, or heard — it matters not which — and a regiment of 

 snaily gluttons is soon established on the spot, gaining recruits at 

 every moment, — all propelled by sordid selfishness, dread of losing a 

 thumping dinner. To notice surroundings before Medusa arrives, and 

 asain after Medusa has arrived, is to wonder where such numbers of 

 hungry elves have sprung, and why these were not perceived before. 

 They draw nigh from the sea and wet sand to the point Medusa y 

 seldom from the earlier washed drier parts, and their tracks, increasing 

 in complication with the addition of each fresh arrival, nevertheless 

 denote a wonderful unity of interest, viz : pacification of appetite- Is 

 their normal food jelly-fish 1 Then they never need starve, for plenty 

 comes ashore of size pro-digeous. 



(To he continued.) 



LASTRJEA CRIST AT A NEAR THORNE : ITS DISCOVERER 

 AND ITS HISTORY. 



By F. Arnold Lees. 



It was with genuine pleasure I read James Backhouse's note (March 

 No., p. 137) ; for the date he gives of the presumably earliest York- 

 shire specimen gathered by William Casson helps not a little to clear 

 away some of the mist in which the early history of this rare fern, in 



