Nucula.] PELECYPODA. 833 



Hawke's Bay ; Wellington Harbour ; Akaroa Harbour, in 6 fathoms ; 

 Stewart Island, in 18 fathoms ; Chatham Islands ; Kermadec Islands ; 

 near Cuvier Island, in 38 fathoms ; Banks Peninsula ; Otago 

 Peninsula ; Taumaki Island, in 10 fathoms ; Milford Sound, in 

 100-120 fathoms (Professor Chilton). 



3. Nucula nitidula, A. Adams, 1856. Plate 51, fig. 3. 



Nucula nitidula, A. Ad., P.Z.S., 1856, 51 ; Conch. Icon., xviii, f. 27 ; 

 Sowerby, Thes. Conch., iii, pi. 229, f. 142; M.N.Z.M., 164; Hutton, 

 P.L.S. N.S.W., ix, 528 ; Chall. Rep., xiii, 15, 225 ; Hedley, T. N.Z.I., 

 xxxviii, 70. A T . margaritacea, Lamarck : Hutton, C.M.M., 80 ; not of 

 Lamarck. 



Shell small, very oblique, posterior end obliquely subtruncated, 

 anterior rounded and produced, shining, pale brown. Beaks small, 

 directed backwards, approximate, situate at about the posterior third. 

 Anterior end sloping, long, a little convex, narrowly rounded on meeting 

 the regularly arched basal margin ; posterior end subtruncated, slightly 

 convex, rather short, broadly rounded toward the base. Lunule long, 

 lanceolate, not prominently marked. Escutcheon distinct, oblong, 

 bounded by a ridge on either side. Sculpture consisting of minute 

 concentric sulci and fine radiate striae visible under a lens. Epidermis 

 thin, polished. Colour pale brown, centre of the valves of lighter 

 colour. Interior white, nacreous, radially finely striated, and the 

 margins crenulated. Hinge with a narrowly triangular resilium, 

 directed obliquely forward ; with two series of sharp teeth, about 7 

 posteriorly and 13 anteriorly, highest at the middle. Adductor-scars 

 but very lightly impressed, of almost equal size. Pallial line distinct, 

 simple. 



Length, 5-5 mm. ; height, 5-5 mm. ; diameter, 2-8 mm. 



Type in the British Museum. 



Hob. Throughout New Zealand, in muddy bottom, below low- 

 water mark ; Bay of Islands ; off Great Barrier Island, in 1 10 fathoms ; 

 near Cuvier Island, in 38 fathoms ; Hauraki Gulf, in 25 fathoms ; 

 Gisborne ; Queen Charlotte Sound, in 10 fathoms (" Challenger ") ; 

 Lyttelton Harbour, in 2-4 fathoms ; of! Otago Heads ; Chatham 

 Islands. 



Fossil in the Pliocene. 



4. Nucula Strangei, A. Adams, 1856. Plate 63, fig. 1. 



Nucula Strangei, A. Ad., P.Z.S., 1856, 52 ; Conch. Icon., xviii, f. 15 ; C.M.M., 

 80 ; Ereb & Ter., 6, pi. 2, f. 14 ; M.N.Z.M., 164 ; Hutton, P.L.S. N.S.W., 



ix, 528. 



Shell larger than the other New Zealand species, thin, obliquely 

 ovate, inequilateral, subcompressed, yellowish-green, shining. Beaks 

 small, pointed, approximate, directed backward, situate at the posterior 

 third. Anterior end elongated, convex, narrowly rounded toward the 

 convex basal margin ; posterior end much shorter, oblique, straight, 



27 Moll. N.Z. 



