*7 1 
of a rare Species of Worm Shells. 
shaken, easily taken up ; but all of them mutilated more or 
less, which was probably occasioned at the time of the earth- 
quake, when many large fragments of madrepores, corals, 
&c. were torn from their situation, by the agitation of the 
sea. 
Although more than twenty specimens were brought to me, 
and others obtained afterwards, there was not one complete ; 
yet being so fortunate as to procure a portion of the shell with 
the apex nearly perfect, and another with the opposite closed 
extremity equally so, I am enabled to give a description of 
them. 
The length of the longest of these shells that came into 
my possession was 5 feet 4 inches, and the circumference at 
the base 9 inches, tapering upwards to <±\ inches; the colour 
on the outside milk white, Lhe inner surface rather of a 
yellow tinge. This specimen was nearly perfect, having a 
small part of the lower extremity entire. I have others of 
various dimensions, a very good one about 3 r eet long and 4 
inches round, tapering to inch at the point; most of these 
shells had adhering to them, about one foot or more from the 
top, the small cockscomb oyster, small serpulse, &c. conse- 
quently they must have been that distance protruded from the 
hard mud, but the water being thick and discoloured, the 
people of Battoo had not taken notice of them antecedent to 
the earthquake. 
These tube shells differ very much among themselves, not 
one of them being correspondent in size or thickness to ano- 
ther. The large end of the shell is completely closed, and has 
a rounded appearance ; at this part it is very thin. The small 
end or apex is very brittle, and is divided by a longitudinal 
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