Natica.] GASTROPODA. 289 



1. Natica australis, Hutton, 1878. Plate 15, fig. 16. 



Lunatia australis, Hutt., J. cle Conch., xxvi, 1878, 23 ; T.N.Z.I., x, 295 ; 

 M.N.Z.M., 72. Natica australis, Hutt., P.L.S. N.S.W., ix, 934 ; Plioc. 

 M., 54, pi. 7, f. 38. 



Shell small, globose, fairly solid, polished, smooth, umbilicate. 

 Sculpture consisting of very fine and close growth-lines, crossed by 

 faint microscopical striae. Colour either uniformly brown with a few 

 lighter blotches, or cinereous with radiate flexuous narrow brown 

 bands, a series of triangular whitish spots revolving a short distance 

 below the suture, and irregular-shaped white streaks issuing from 

 the umbilicus ; peristome light brown. Epidermis thin, transparent, 

 shining. Spire low, depressed conoidal, lower than the height of 

 aperture ; outlines convex. Protoconch small, with a comparatively 

 large nucleus, of 1| smooth flattish whorls. Whorls 3^, convex, the 

 last large in proportion ; base convex. Suture lightly impressed. 

 Aperture subvertical, semilunar, inside dark brown. Outer Up convex, 

 with a rather blunt edge. Columella subvertical, thick and callous, 

 curved below towards the basal lip. Inner lip strongly callous, tri- 

 angularly produced over half of the umbilicus, and forming a thick 

 brown and shining callus on the parietal wall. Umbilicus moderate, 

 the outer half open. Operculum calcareous, paucispiral, with distant 

 growth-lines and close spiral striae. 



Diameter, 7-5 mm. ; height, 7-5 mm. (type). 



Animal unknown. 



Type in the Otago Museum, Dunedin. 



Hab. Auckland Harbour, dredged in Rangitoto Channel, type 

 (T. F. Cheeseman) ; off Great Barrier Island, in 110 fathoms ; Snares, 

 in 50 fathoms (Captain Bollons). 



Remarks. The specimens from 110 fathoms are white, semitrans- 

 parent, occasionally with a few radiate brown bands. The inner lip 

 is by far not so strongly callous, and leaving sometimes the umbilicus 

 quite open. 



Fossil in the Pliocene. 



2. Natica zelandica, Quoy and Gaimard, 1832. Plate 44, figs. 7, la. 



Natica zelandica, Q. & G., Voy. Astrol., ii, 1832, 237, pi. 66, f. 11, 12 ; Dieff. 

 N.Z., 241; Conch. Icon, ix, pi. 20, f. 90; Man. Conch. (1), viii, 22, 

 pi. 4, f. 70. 



Shell globose, rather thin, smooth and polished, with a funiculate 

 umbilicus. Sculpture consisting of fine, close, subequal growth-lines, 

 flexuous and stronger below the suture ; these are crossed by numerous 

 microscopic undulating spiral strise. Colour yellowish-fawn, with 5-6 

 whitish spiral bands painted with chestnut-coloured arrow-headed 

 markings, a narrow whitish band margining the suture below ; base 

 white. Epidermis very thin, shining. Spire lateral, conoidal, much 

 lower than the height of aperture ; outlines convex. Protoconch de- 

 pressed convex, of 2 smooth convex whorls. Whorls 5|^ to 6, first 



10 Moll. N.Z. 



