Drillia.] GASTROPODA. 477 



4. Drillia novse-zelandiae, Reeve, 1843. Plate 46, fig. 23. 



Pleurototna novcB-zelandice, Reeve, Conch. Icon., 1843, f. 143. Drillia novce- 

 zelandice, Hutton, C.M.M., 11 ; J. de Conch., xxvi, 16; M.N.Z.M., 43; 

 P.L.S. N.S.W., x, 117 ; Tryon, Man. Conch. (1), vi, 184, pi. 12, f. 42, 44 ; 

 Suter, J. Mai., xii, 73. Surcula novce-zelctndice, Reeve : Suter, T.N.Z.I., 

 xxxi, 67 ; Index, 70. Pleurotoma rosea, Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. 

 Astrol., ii, 1833, 524, pi. 35, f. 10, 11 ; Dieff. N.Z., 230 ; Crit. List, 17, 

 not of Sowerby. P. Quoyi, Deshayes, A.s.V., ed. 2, ix, 346 ; not of 

 Desraoulins. 



Shell fusiform, with, a high and acute spire, fairly solid, light-pinkish, 

 spirally and axially ribbed. Sculpture consisting of a spiral rib below 

 the suture, usually ornamented by a few spiral threads, followed by 

 a narrow depression with a few spiral threads, the lower two-thirds 

 of the spire- whorls with about 5 unequal spiral ribs, continued on 

 the body-whorl over the whole of the base, but much finer and closer 

 on the neck of the canal ; all the spiral ribs are crossed by oblique, 

 more or less undulating axial cost*, about 20 on a whorl, the points 

 of intersection raised to roundish or elongate nodules, mostly obso- 

 lete on the lower part of the base. Colour pinkish-grey, purple-rose 

 within the aperture. Spire turriculate, high and acuminate, sharply 

 pointed, the height about 1J times that of the aperture. Protoconch 

 of 2 smooth and convex whorls. Whorls about 10, first slowly then 

 more rapidly increasing, lightly biangulate : the body-whorl convex 

 at the periphery, contracted below. Suture distinct, margined above 

 by a narrow thread, below by the broad nodulous spiral rib. Aper- 

 ture pyriform, lightly channelled above, produced below into a short 

 and open canal, slightly turned to the left and backwards, notched 

 at the base. Outer lip convex, contracted below, thin and sharp, 

 with a narrow and not very deep sinus at the spiral depression of the 

 whorl. Columella sub vertical, slightly convex at the middle, turned 

 to the left below. Inner Up not very broad, smooth, distinctly 

 bounded on the outer side, narrowed below and forming the left margin 

 of the canal, extending above over the lightly concave parietal wall, 

 which usually bears a callous ridge below the angle of the aperture. 

 Basal iasciole inconspicuous. Operculum with the nucleus apical. 



Diameter, 10 mm. ; height, 28 mm. Angle of spire, 25. 



Animal unknown. 



Type in the British Museum. 



Hab. Throughout New Zealand, but nowhere common, in depths 

 to about 30 fathoms : Off Wanganui, dredged ; sandy beach at 

 Takapuna. washed up after gales; Wellington Harbour. Chatham 

 Islands. 



Remarks. The sculpture is subject to a considerable amount of 

 variation. The Pliocene D. plicatella, Hutton. is a very nearly allied 

 species. 



Fossil in the Pliocene. 



