20'S PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1894. 



PATELLA KERMADECENSIS. 

 BY HENRY A. PILSBRY. 



In October, 1893, the writer received from E. W. Roper, Esq., of 

 Revere, Mass., two specimens of a very large and ponderous species 

 of Patella, which Mr. Roper had obtained from a New Zealand col- 

 lector, to whom they had been brought from the Kerraadec Islands. 



Upon corapai'iug these shells with the collection of Patellidte in the 

 Museum of the Academy, and with the recent monograph of the 

 group in the Manual of Conchology, it became evident that they 

 represented an undescribed species. At Mr. Roper's request, a brief 

 description was prepared for publication, which some months later 

 appeared in the "Nautilus," under the name Patella kennadecensis. 

 After this description was printed, but before the number containing 

 it was generally distributed, the writer (in his capacity as Editor of 

 the "Nautilus"), received a description of the same species, under 

 the same name, from Dr. Wm. H. Dall, the distinguished malacolo- 

 gist of the National Museum. As Ball's specimens are more de- 

 pressed than those described by myself, and his series includes young 

 shells preserving the sculpture, I have therefore, quoted his descrip- 

 tion in full below, and have reproduced drawings of his type, kindly 

 supplied by him, on plate VII. 



Some time previous to the publication of the original description, 

 Mr. Geo. W. Taylor of Victoria, B. C, a gentleman who has de- 

 voted special attention to the Patellidtu, received specimens of the 

 same species, apparently from the same original source. He prepared 

 a description of them, but not being thoroughly satisfied of the 

 novelty of the form, delayed publication.' 



The species has also been noticed by Mr. John Brazier, well-known 

 for his life-long labors on the Australian mollusca. Mr. Brazier 

 formed a theory that these limpets were not from the Kerraadec Is- 

 lands, but from South Africa ; and as the specific name kermadecen- 



' Mr. Taylor submitted one of his young shells of this species to the junior 

 editor of the "Nautilus," who showed it to me. I did not recognize in it the 

 /'. kermadeccnsis, so ditlerent are the young from the ponderous, corroded adult 

 shells which alone I had seen. 



