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At the distance of a few yards, and in the same position, but a foot or two deeper, were observed marine shells, Cyprina islandica, Astarte elliptica, A. compressa, Fusus antiquus, Littorina littorea, and a Balanus. The height above the level of the sea was between 100 and 103 feet.
Sowerby can find no distinguishing character between this fossil, as far as its not very perfect condition allows of comparison, and the recent species. 9. Balanus Coquimbensis, G.B. Sowerby. 10. Balanus psittacus? King. This appears to Mr. Sowerby and myself identical with a very large and common species now living on the coast.
On another hill, some miles distant, and 648 feet high, I found shells of the Concholepas and Trochus, perfect, though very old, with fragments of Mytilus Chiloensis, all embedded in reddish-brown mould: I also found these same species, with fragments of an Echinus and of Balanus psittacus, on a hill 1,000 feet high.
The Captain had advised Nellie to search amongst the old wooden piles of the pier, as a likely situation to find these animals, and others he named quite as curious, such as the `beroe' and the `balanus, which while looking as if inanimate yet are `all alive, and, if not `kicking, certainly may be seen fishing, either with natural lines of their own or with a sort of trawl-net, very similar to which we human bipeds use.
Venus Chilensis, d'Orbigny "Voyage" Pal. 8. Solecurtus hanetianus, d'Orbigny "Voyage" Pal. 9. Mactra auca, d'Orbigny "Voyage" Pal. 10. Oliva serena, d'Orbigny "Voyage" Pal. Of these twenty-four shells, all are extinct, except, according to Mr. Sowerby, the Artemis ponderosa, Mytilus Chiloensis, and probably the great Balanus.
Of marine animals there remain to be noticed a small Octopus, a Loligo, two Chiton, Patella, Crepidula, Pilcopsis, Fissurella, Calyptræa; of Concholepas, only empty shells; a large Mytilus, a small Modiola, Turritella, Turbo, Balanus; and a Holothuria of the variety Psolus.
These shells, twenty in number, together with a Balanus and two corals, are all recent species, still inhabiting the neighbouring seas. The northern shore of Bahia Blanca is, in main part, formed of immense sand-dunes, resting on gravel with recent shells, and ranging in lines parallel to the shore.
The intermediate variety, consequently, will exist in lesser numbers from inhabiting a narrow and lesser area; and practically, as far as I can make out, this rule holds good with varieties in a state of nature. I have met with striking instances of the rule in the case of varieties intermediate between well-marked varieties in the genus Balanus.
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