ItEMAllKS ON CONCHO LOGY AND MALACHOLOGY. 221? 
larger size, particularly the genera Hippopus, Tridacna, Spondylus 
and Cbama, which, especially the two latter, are much used as food 
by the natives. 
Through the kindness of the Governor, Lieut. Col. Butterworth, 
C. B. I had lately an opportunity of visiting these islands, and re¬ 
peatedly explored the coral reefs at low water, and thereby bad the 
means of observing the habits of some of the Testacea to great ad¬ 
vantage ; among others, the Voluta undulata, the inhabitant of which 
is spotted with blotches of bright red on a dark ground, and rea¬ 
dily catches the eye, at a distance of some yards, as it moves like a 
huge snail through the coral foliage; the Voluta melo also inhabits 
these seas inferior to the former in the markings of the animal, but 
moro than equal to it in the rich tints of the shell. Of the class 
Conchifera numerous species covered the rocks or were firmly at¬ 
tached to branches of coral; in particular I may mention a species 
of Chama fantastically branched like coral, and in the brilliancy ol its 
yellow colour more resembling a flower than a shell. In several 
ol the shallow bays, I observed an abundance of a small species of 
Meieagrina or Mother of Pearl Oyster, few r ol the shells were 
larger than the palm of the hand, and ol a dark slate colour. I am 
informed by those who are accustomed to trade in Mother ol Pearl, 
that this kind never attains a large size. 1 was at first inclined to 
doubt the accuracy of the statement, as I do not find more than two 
described species, namely the M. margaritifera, and M. albina which 
is also to be found here. What leads to the supposition of its being 
a distinct species is that the large kind has never been picked up here. 
It is worthy of remark, that among the shells of these latitudes, 
in common I believe with those of all tropical climates, it is rare 
to find a single species that is identical with any found in the 
north of Europe, and it is observable that the few such shells, that 
are found native here, are not of the more common kinds. On the 
contrary they are comparatively rare in both latitudes. The differ¬ 
ence in the temperature of the seas does not seeui sufficient to 
account for this disparity, nor does it seem probable that atmosphe¬ 
ric vicissitudes would much affect creatures so independent of vital 
air: whether it may be owing to the want of some particular 
food, I am unible to determine. Of the species found in both 
latitudes may be mentioned Cbiton marginatus, Emarginula lissu- 
