Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and Topographical with Notices of Its Natural History Part 39

[Footnote 24: An Anomia.]

[Footnote 25: The fissurata of Humphreys and Dacosta, pl. 4--E. rubra, _Lamarck_.]

[Footnote 26: B. Ceylanica, _Brug_.]

[Footnote 27: P. Tennentii. "Greyish brown, with longitudinal rows of rufous spots, forming interrupted bands along the sides. A singularly handsome species, having similar habits to _Limax_. Found in the valleys of the Kalany Ganga, near Ruanwelle."--_Templeton_ MSS.]

[Footnote 28: Not far from bistrialis and Ceylanica. The ma.n.u.script species of Mr. Dohrn will shortly appear in his intended work upon the land and fluviatile sh.e.l.ls of Ceylon.]

[Footnote 29: As Ellobium.]

[Footnote 30: As Melampus.]

[Footnote 31: As Ophicardelis.]

[Footnote 32: M. fasciolata, _Olivier_.]

[Footnote 33: These four species are included on the authority of Mr.

Dohrn.]

[Footnote 34: N. exuvia, _Lam_. not _Linn_.]

[Footnote 35: Conch. Cab. f. 1926-7, and N. melanostoma, _Lam_. in part.]

[Footnote 36: Chemn, Conch. Cab, 1892-3.]

[Footnote 37: N. glaucina, _Lam._ not _Linn._]

[Footnote 38: Not of _Lamarck_. D. atrata. _Reeve_.]

[Footnote 39: Philippia L.]

[Footnote 40: Zeit. Mal. 1846 for T. argyrostoma, _Lam._ not _Linn._]

[Footnote 41: Buccinum pyramidatum, _Gm._ in part: B. sulcatum, var. C.

of _Brug_.]

[Footnote 42: Teste c.u.ming.]

[Footnote 43: As Delphinulat.]

[Footnote 44: P. papyracea, _Lam._ In mixed collections I have seen the Chinese P. bezoar of _Lamarck_ as from Ceylon.]

[Footnote 45: P. vespertilio, _Gm._]

[Footnote 46: R. albivaricosa, _Reeve_.]

[Footnote 47: M. anguliferus var. _Lam._]

[Footnote 48: T. cynocephalus of _Lamarck_ is also met with in Ceylon collections.]

[Footnote 49: S. incisus of the Index Testaceologicus (urceus, var.

_Sow_. Thesaur.) is found in mixed Ceylon collections.]

[Footnote 50: C. plicaria of _Lamarck_, and C. coronulata of _Sowerby_, are also said to be found in Ceylon.]

[Footnote 51: As Purpura.]

[Footnote 52: N. suturalis, _Reeve_ (as of _Lam_.), is met with in mixed Ceylon collections.]

[Footnote 53: E. areolata _Lam_.]

[Footnote 54: E. spirata, _Lam_. not _Linn_.]

[Footnote 55: B Belangeri, _Kiener_.]

[Footnote 56: As Turricula L.]

[Footnote 57: 0. utriculus, _Dillwyn_.]

[Footnote 58: C. planorbis, _Born_; C, vulpinus, _Lam_.]

[Footnote 59: Conus ermineus, _Born_, in part.]

A conclusion not unworthy of observation may be deduced from this catalogue; namely, that Ceylon was the unknown, and hence unacknowledged, source of almost every extra-European sh.e.l.l which has been described by Linnaeus without a recorded habitat. This fact gives to Ceylon specimens an importance which can only be appreciated by collectors and the students of Mollusca.

2 RADIATA.

The eastern seas are profusely stocked with radiated animals, but it is to be regretted that they have as yet received but little attention from English naturalists. Dr. Kelaart has, however, devoted himself to the investigation of some of the Singhalese species, and has given the fruits of his discoveries in the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Asiatic Society for 1856-8. Our information respecting the radiata on the confines of the island is, therefore, very scanty; with the exception of the genera[1] examined by him. Hence the notice of this extensive cla.s.s of animals must be limited to indicating a few of those which exhibit striking peculiarities, or which admit of the most common observation.

[Footnote 1: Actinia, 9 sp.: Anthea, 4 sp.; Actinodendron, 3 sp.; Dioscosoma, 1 sp.; Peechea, 1 sp.; Zoanthura, 1 sp.]

_Star Fish._--Very large species of _Ophiuridae_ are to be met with at Trincomalie, crawling busily about, and insinuating their long serpentine arms into the irregularities and perforations in the rocks.

To these they attach themselves with such a firm grasp, especially when they perceive that they have attracted attention, that it is next to impossible to procure unmutilated specimens without previously depriving them of life, or at least modifying their muscular tenacity. The upper surface is of a dark purple colour, and coa.r.s.ely spined; the arms of the largest specimens are more than a foot in length, and very fragile.

The star fishes, with immovable rays[1], are not by any means rare; many kinds are brought up in the nets, or may be extracted from the stomachs of the larger market fish. One very large species[2], figured by Joinville in the ma.n.u.script volume in the library at the India House, is not uncommon; it has thick arms, from which and the disc numerous large fleshy cirrhi of a bright crimson colour project downwards, giving the creature a remarkable aspect. No description of it, so far as I am aware has appeared in any systematic work on zoology.

[Footnote 1: _Asterias_, Linn.]

[Footnote 2: _Pentaceros?_]

_Sea Slugs._--There are a few species of _Holothuriae_, of which the trepang is the best known example. It is largely collected in the Gulf of Manaar, and dried in the sun to prepare it for export to China. A good description and figure of it are still desiderata.

_Parasitic Worms._--Of these entozoa, the _Filaria medinensis_, or guinea worm, which burrows in the cellular tissue under the skin, is well known in the north of the island, but rarely found in the damper districts of the south and west. In Ceylon, as elsewhere, the natives attribute its occurrence to drinking the waters of particular wells; but this belief is inconsistent with the fact that its lodgment in the human body is almost always effected just above the ankle, which shows that the minute parasites are transferred to the skin of the leg from the moist vegetation bordering the footpaths leading to wells. The creatures are at this period minute, and the process of insinuation is painless and imperceptible. It is only when they attain to considerable size, a foot or more in length, that the operation of extracting them is resorted to, when exercise may have given rise to inconvenience and inflammation.

_Planaria_.--In the journal above alluded to, Dr. Kelaart has given descriptions of fifteen species of planaria, and four of a new genus, inst.i.tuted by him for the reception of those differing from the normal kinds by some peculiarities which they exhibit in common. At Point Pedro, Mr. Edgar Layard met with one on the bark of trees, after heavy rain, which would appear to belong to the subgenus _geoplana_.[1]

[Footnote 1: "A curious species, which is of a light brown above, white underneath; very broad and thin, and has a peculiarly shaped tail, half-moon-shaped, in fact, like a grocer's cheese knife."]