Ikedale. — Suter's " Manual of the New Zealand Mollusca." 427 



congeneric. When the classification used by Australian and Neozelanic 

 malaeologists was prepared scientific investigation as to phylogeny as 

 understood to-day was in its infancy, and geography and much else was 

 disregarded. If a shell resembling Acmaea mitra was found by a Neozelanic 

 conchologist, I venture to state it would have been classed anywhere but 

 in Acmaea. I am convinced that, though Neozelanic malacology has bene- 

 fited greatly by the research of American workers, it has also suffered through 

 the acceptance of their conclusions as regards generic and specific values, 

 such conclusions being based on little or no material conjoined to an igno- 

 rance of local conditions. From 1880 to 1913 the number of forms recognized 

 was raised from 447 to 1187, and this can be said to be the work of one man, 

 Mr. Henry Suter, for, though much collecting was done by others, the bulk 

 of this was due to Mr. Suter's initiative. The work is just commencing in 

 every way, animals and habits being as yet comparatively unknown. 



The rejection of Acmaea from the New Zealand list is certainly inevitable, 

 and the other names given to northern " Acmaeas," — viz., Tectum Gray, 

 Erginus Jeffreys, and Collisella Dall — are just as unsuitable. 



From shell characters the Neozelanic species are easily grouped, and there 

 can be little doubt that animal characters coincidently agree. I propose 

 to introduce new names for these, and invite investigation and study. These 

 names are equally applicable to Australian forms, and it should be observed 

 that these austral species have no connection with northern forms, 

 " Acmaeas " being practically absent from the intervening tropics. By 

 the usage of these names we get a better idea of the relationships of the 

 forms than by the continuance of extra-limital terms which are most doubt- 

 fully applicable, and which, judging from shell characters, are certainly 

 untenable. 



Radiacmea gen. nov. [P. 63.] 



I propose this name for the group of shells around A. cingulata Hutton, 

 which I name as type. These agree in shape, external features, and general 

 coloration. According to Suter, the radular characters are ' ; typical, re- 

 sembling very much that of A. mitra Esch." With this species the shell 

 has nothing in common. The shells would come nearer A. corticata Hutton,. 

 but the radula of this species differs. The group is well marked in New 

 Zealand, but I dissociate Suter's A. intermedia and roseoradiata from it, 

 and restrict it to A. cingulata Hutton and Fisstirella rubiginosa Hutton. 



I did not collect any LC Acmaeas " at the Kermadecs, nor have I got any 

 from Norfolk Island, nor are there any littoral species from Lord Howe 

 Island, but one small species is commonly dredged. Mr. Oliver has. however, 

 received some specimens of Radiacmea from the Kermadecs. 



Atalacmea gen. nov. [P. 68.] 



I propose this name for the species commonly known as Acmaea frag His 

 Chemnitz. Chemnitz was, however, not a binomialist, and his species- 

 names, cannot be accepted. This is undoubtedly true as regards all the 

 preceding ten volumes, but because in the eleventh, where this name occurs, 

 binomials are frequent and polynomials scarcer, such binomials have been 

 commonly preserved. Their rejection is inevitable, and it should be noted 

 that these names do not occur in Sherborn's " Index Animalium." The 

 next name appears to be Lesson's Patella unguis-almae, which must come 

 into use. 



