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tion elegant species of Trochus, enormous Turbos, brilliant Haliotids 
a Conus of a beautiful red colour, gigantic Barnacles, eight or ten 
species of Limpets, several Stomatias, agreeably tinted with most 
fresh and graceful colours, a new species of Janthina of the rarest 
beauty, and a Terebra 1520 cms. (5-7 ins.) long, which is very 
similar to a species of the same genus found fossil in the neigh- 
bourhood of Paris; we saw also pretty Pearl Oysters, excellent 
eating Oysters, beautiful and edible Mussels, various kinds of 
Murex, Serpulas, Bullas, Dentaliums, etc. . . . But in the 
midst of such riches it is impossible even to mention the most 
precious objects; I will content myself then by presenting here some 
remarks of a more general interest, which if not suggested to me 
were at least confirmed by the examination of the various animal 
productions of King George’s Sound.” 
“No one, I daresay, has collected more animals from the 
southern hemisphere than I have; I have observed and described 
them all on the spot; I have brought several thousand of them to 
Europe; they are deposited in the great museum of the Empire; 
If one examines, I will not say the species of Doris, 
Aplysia, Salpa, Nereis, Amphinome, and the crowd of molluscs and 
worms highly differentiated which are successively offered to our ob- 
servation ; if one descends to the Holothurians, Actinians and 
Medusae, even if necessary let us descend to the formless sponges 
which everyone agrees to regard as the last term of degradation or 
rather of simplicity in animal organisation; in this so to speak 
frightful multitude of antarctic animals, it will be found that not 
one occurs in northern seas; and from this well considered examina- 
tion, from this long series of rigorous comparisons, one will be 
forced to conclude, as I have done myself, that there is not a single 
species of well-known animal which is truly cosmopolitan or ac- 
tually native to all parts of the world. 
“Besides this, and it is on this account that the wonderful variety 
of nature occurs; however imperfect an animal may be, each one has 
received a distinct country; it is to certain localities that they are 
attached; it is there that they are to be found in most abundance, of 
the greatest size and beauty. In proportion as they progress fur- 
ther from this point, the individuals degenerate, and the species ends 
by extinction. Let us take as an example that enormous Ear-shell 
of which I have already frequently spoken under the name of 
Haliotis gigantea ; it dwells at the extremity of the globe, amidst 
the shock of the polar waves; there it reaches a length of 15-20cms. 
((wins.) ; there it forms precious banks on which man comes to 
seek an abundant and healthy food Hardly are we at 
Maria Island we have made, so to speak, only the crossing of 
d Entrecasteaux channel — and already this great shell has lost its 
dimensions; at King Island it is smaller still, and rarer; its degra- 
dation becomes more and more evident as Ave proceed further to- 
