SOUTHERN AFRICA. 39 
plentiful and tolerably good. Muscles of various kinds, and 
oysters, abound on the sea-coast ; the former of a high, strong 
flavor, but the latter fully as good as those of Europe ; they 
are, however, not to be procured in quantities near the Cape. 
A species of Asterias or Star-fish, and the paper Nautilus, are 
sometimes sent from hence to Europe to be placed in the 
cabinets of the curious ; as is also that singular little animal 
called by naturalists the Syngnathus Hippocampus^ and some- 
times sea-horse. 
Few shells or marine productions are met with on this part 
of the coast of Africa that would be considered as rare by the 
naturalist. Small corallines, madrepores, sponges, and other 
productions of marine animals, are frequently thrown up on 
the shores of the bays, but such only as are commonly known. 
The shells that mostly abound are of the univalve tribe. The 
patella genus is the most plentiful ; and that large, beautiful^ 
pearly shell, the Haliotis Midce, is very common. Cyprcea^ 
Volutes, and Cones, are also abundant. AH these are collected 
on the coast near the Cape, and burnt into lime, there being 
no limestone on the whole peninsula, and none worth the la- 
bor of getting, and the expenditure of fuel necessary for burn- 
ing it, in any part of the colony. 
During the winter season whales are very plentiful in all 
the bays of Southern Africa,, and give to the fishermen a much 
easier opportunity of taking them than in the open sea. 
They are smaller and less valuable than those of the sam€ 
kind in the northern seas, but sufficiently so to have engaged 
the attention of a Company lately established here for carry- 
