of a rare Species of Worm Shells. 273 
Sir, I am much indebted to your kind attention. He is th 
only original author, I believe, who has given any account of 
this production, but the figure of the shell in Rumphius is 
somewhat different from those I have described ; it exhibits 
two long jointed tubes, issuing from the upper part of the 
exterior tube ; and he describes them to be found in shallow 
water among the mangrove trees ; in the account given by 
Rumphius there is a description both of the ground in which 
they are found, and the mode in which the large end of 
the shell is closed, exactly similar to what I have stated, 
so that it is evidently of the same genus, but, as it differs 
in having the two tubes through which the tentacula pass 
out, of considerable length, and entirely separate, a circum- 
stance which may be connected with the situation of the animal 
in shallow water among mangroves, this, I apprehend, must 
be clearly admitted to be an entirely new species. 
Mr. Home, who has interested himself in the natural history 
of this animal, has taken the trouble to arrange the drawings 
for the further illustration of the subject, which have been 
executed under his inspection from the specimens I have 
brought to this country ; and I shall be happy if my materials, 
or any I can procure from Sumatra, may enable that gentle- 
man to make any further observations on this curious produc- 
tion of nature. 
iMew Burlington Street, 
January 23d, 1806. 
N n 2 
