Iredale. — New Zealand Marine Molluscs. 381 



Schismope brevis (Hedley). 



Schismope brevis, Hedley, Rec. Austr. Museum, vol. v, p. 90, 

 fig. 16 in text, 1904. 



This species was described from dead shells from Lyall Bay, 

 near Wellington, New Zealand. The colour was given as white, 

 and the figures show a turbinate strongly sculptured shell. 



Live shells from Lyttelton Harbour are cream-coloured, 

 young ones very commonly brownish. The sculpture is weaker 

 than in typical examples, the spirals being almost as prominent 

 as the longitudinal ribs. 



Schismope brevis levigata, n. subsp. 



This subspecies differs from the type in the degree of sculp- 

 ture. At first sight this would appear a very different shell, 

 but when closely examined the sculpture is seen to be the same : 

 the longitudinal ribs have greatly deteriorated in strength, whilst 

 the spirals have gained ; the last whorl descends much more 

 rapidly than in typical brevis, whilst the earlier whorls are 

 smaller. ' This combination gives an entirely different appearance 

 to the shell, which is further strengthened by the fact that 

 the fasciole is very little longer than the foramen. Operculum 

 thin, horny, multispiral. Colour cream ; dead shells pure-white. 



Measurement of a large specimen the same as the type of 

 S. brevis, Hedley. 



Type to be presented to the Canterbury Museum, Christ- 

 church. 



Hob. — Sandfly Bay, Otago Peninsula (type) ; Lyall Bay, 

 near Wellington (dead shells). 



Incisura lytteltonensis (E. A. Smith). 

 Scissurella lytteltonensis, Smith, Proc. Mai. Soc, vol. i, p. 57, 

 pi. vii, figs. 1-2, 1894. Incisura lytteltonensis (Smith), 

 Hedley, Rec. Austr. Museum, vol. v, p. 91, fig. 18 in text, 

 1904. 



These two papers cover all that is on record about this 

 species, and as these are at variance, though both accurate, it 

 is best to at once reconcile them. Smith noted as a peculiarity 

 the presence of colour in the shell. Hedley wrote, " None of a 

 considerable series of Incisura lytteltonensis, Smith, before me 

 present any trace of colour. The character " (rosea vel albida) 

 " attributed to that species in the original description was, per- 

 haps, derived from examples of S. rosea." 



Smith was correct in noting the coloration of the shell, 

 as he was studying live shells : these show distinctly rose- 

 coloured. Dead shells, which, I believe, were all Hedley had, 



