Haliotis.] GASTROPODA. 95 



2J, the last convex. Aperture large, the right margin straighter than 

 the left, but still convex. Inside silvery, generally with very little 

 iridescent colour, and having slight excavations or pits at the posi- 

 tions of the principal tubercles of the outer surface. Columellar plate 

 rather broad and heavy, flattened, and in adult shells sloping inward, 

 not truncated at the base ; cavity of spire visible from below. Open 

 perforations 5, round to oval, situated on moderate tubercles. 



Length, 47 mm. ; breadth, 31 mm. ; convexity, 12 mm. Length, 

 40mm.; breadth, 28mm.; convexity, llmm. (New Zealand speci- 

 men). 



Type(l). 



Hob. South of Whangarei. This is a widely dispersed form- 

 Australia and Philippines to China, Mozambique, Red Sea, Island of 

 Bourbon, Mauritius, Ceylon, Nicobar Islands, Malay Archipelago, 

 according to Man. Conch. 



Remark. In New Zealand specimens I found the number of open 

 perforations to vary from 5 to 7. 



4. Haliotis virginea, Gmelin, 1790. Plate 7, fig. 23. 



Haliotis virginea, Gmelin, Syst. Nat., ed. xiii, 3690; Chemnitz. Cmoh. Cab., 

 x, 314, pi. 166, f. 1607, 1608 (not binomial); Sowerby, Thes. Conch., v., 

 20. H. gibba, Philippi : Reeve, Conch. Icon., f. 42 ; Smith, Ereb. & Ter., 

 Moll., 4, pi. 1, f . 16 : Button, M.N.Z.M.. 104, not of Philippi. H. virginea, 

 Gmel. : Hedley, Colon. Museum Bull., i, 1906, 49 ; Sutev, T.N.Z.I., 

 xxxviii, 323. 



Shell oblong-oval, very convex, spire almost terminal, spirally 

 lirate. Sculpture : About 44 spiral lir?e between spire and perforations, 

 sometimes unequal, slightly beaded by growth-lines ; there are some 

 small folds radiating from the spire over the middle part of the back, 

 but these are obsolete on some examples. Colour dark brown, marked 

 with more or less perfect V-shaped green streaks, green sometimes 

 predominating. Spire almost terminal, very small. Whorls 2^. 

 Right and left sides equally curved, widest at about the middle ; back 

 very convex, not carinated at the row of holes, but having a very 

 shallow excavation ust below it. Inside spirally stiiate, somewhat 

 corrugated obliquely, very brilliantly iridescent, the prevailing colours 

 green and red. Columellar plate flattened or a little concave, de- 

 cidedly sloping inward, subtruncate at base, concealing the cavity 

 of spire above. Perforations 6 or 7, separated by spaces exceeding 

 the length of the holes. 



Length, 54 mm. ; breadth, 35 mm. ; convexity, 13 mm. 



Type (?). 



Hob. North and South Islands ; Stewart Island : Chatham 

 Islands ; Kermadec Islands. More common in the south. Brought 

 to England by Captain Cook. 



