On the suggestion of Capt. Danforth, we constructed a dredge, and endeavored to dredge Bear Island Bar from his motor-boat. Here we found quantities of Lacuna vincta, Alectrion obsoleta, Cylichna alba, and two Polinices triseriata.
There were some soldiers encamped at Digby, and they used to gather Litorina littorea and steam and eat them, without any flavoring. They sometimes ate Thais lapillus also. One day, after a rain, we found two Helix hortensis crawling along the road.
A NEW TYPE OF THE NAYAD-GENUS FUSCONAIA. GROUP OF F. BARNESIANA LEA.
BY A. E. ORTMANN.
During the study of the nayad-fauna of the upper Tennessee, the present writer found that there exists, in this region, a peculiar type of shells, belonging to the genus Fusconaia, the various forms of which have been described previously under a great number of specific names, which, however, seem to belong all to one species. In addition, among material received from L. S. Frierson from the Ozark Mountains, a form was discovered which presented the same structure.
The oldest name for the upper Tennessee form is Unio barnesianus Lea. A more detailed account of its various phases is to be given elsewhere, and it suffices here to mention only those forms which belong here. According to obesity, I distinguish three local, or ecological races:
1. Fusconaia barnesiana (Lea) 1838.
U. barnesianus Lea, ’38. U. meredithi Lea, ’58. U. pudicus Lea, ’60. U. Lyoni Lea, ’65. U. tellicoensis Lea, ’72. U. lenticularis Lea, ’72.
As the normal (most abundant) forms we may regard U. meredithi, pudicus and lenticularis, which differ from each other only in the development of the rays (topotypes examined). U. barnesianus is a slightly more elongated individual, with poorly developed rays. U. tellicoensis (topotypes examined) is a lenticularis slightly more swollen; and U. Lyoni forms the transition toward var. tumescens, having a little more elevated beaks, greater obesity, and rather distinct rays.