Report and Transactions Volume 20

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 Excerpt: ...I have been indebted to Messrs. Gwyn Jeffreys, Marshall, and Pidgeon; not a single species being recorded on my own authority. In addition to the trouble taken by Mr. Pidgeon in identifying by far the largest proportion of the collection, he added several species to the list by his careful examination of the rough material sent him. To return, however, to 1881. The collection sent to Mr. Jeffreys was made in 1880, at which time I had no idea that the fauna of the Beach was so rich; the point that then more especially attracted my attention being the abundance of fragments of cockles, and of TurritMa terebra, of which latter shell I had then collected seventy-six fragments. This was unfortunately the only attempt I made to ascertain the numerical relation of any of the Thatcher shells. I say unfortunately, as it makes all the difference in the importance of a species whether it occurs abundantly, or in isolated examples. One thing, however, may be borne in mind; viz., that the shell-bearing remnant of the Thatcher Beach is very insignificant in area, and that it is therefore improbable that any shell, rare in the Raised Beach era, should have been preserved in so small a deposit. The presumption is that shells, represented by only a single fragment in the Beach, were common enough when thrown up. The following is a complete list of the shells found in the Thatcher Eaised Beach up to the present time, with their distribution as given by Mr. Jeffreys in his British Conchology. The initials indicate by whom each species has been identified. Species. Distribution. By Whom Identified. Ostrea edulis Pinna rudis Mytilus edulis M. modiolus Nucula nucleus. Cardium eehinatum C. edule. C. Norvegicum. Cyprina islandica Astarte sulcata. Venus exoleta. V. fasciata V. gall...