Notes on St. Helena

In this paper the author briefly noticed the general external characters of the island and some of its geognostical phaenomena, and more especially described the conditions under which the fossil shells of Bulimi, Succineae and Helices are found in the superficial soils of the island. The Bulimus auris-vulpina is not now found in a living state. The shells are met with in various elevated parts of the island. The specimens accompanying this communication were found by the author about half a mile behind Longwood, at an elevation of about 1700 feet above the level of the sea, on a hill-side which is worn into numerous clefts or ravines by the heavy rains. The surface of the hill to a depth of 5, to 6 feet consists of dark mould, and under this is a stratum of a greyish-brown friable earth about 3 to 4 feet thick; in this latter bed the shells occur. This earth also contains birdbones§, perfect and fragmentary, in abundance; and it was suggested by the author, that possibly in some cases the shells may have been brought to the spot by birds that fed on their living occupants.