II. — ZOOLOGY 



Art. XII. — Additions to the Marine Mollusca of New Zealand. 



By R. Murdoch. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 2nd November, 1904.] 



Plates VII. and VIII. 



Some few months ago I received from Mr. A. Hamilton, 

 Director of the Colonial Museum, an interesting parcel of small 

 and minute shells, which had been obtained by beach-gatherings 

 at Whangaroa Harbour. This collection, though small in bulk, 

 proves exceedingly rich in species. None of the larger forms 

 are represented, and very few of those of medium size : it must 

 therefore be regarded as little more than a tithe of the molluscan 

 life of this northern locality. Several forms hitherto only 

 recorded from Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island make their 

 appearance, some of them in fair abundance. 



In addition to the species recorded in the appended list, there 

 are several which I have been unable to identify. Some of them 

 may prove to be undescribed ; others, again, are in too worn and 

 damaged a condition — these include Bittium, Colina(1), and 

 Triphora. Of the latter genus three species are represented, 

 one of which has certainly not been recorded from New Zealand 

 waters ; it is little more than a fragment, but characterized by 

 its four smooth spiral keels. Of Cryptodon flexuosum, Mont.. 

 a single valve occurs. The species is represented in the Colonial 

 Museum collections by a number of separate valves, but the exact 

 locality does not appear to have been given. Most probably 

 they are from Stewart Island, as Captain Hutton records Cryp- 

 todon, sp. ind., from that locality.* The genus does not appear 

 to have been again recognised, and in the " Manual of the New 

 Zealand Mollusca," page 223, is rejected from the list, 



The identification of many of our marine shells, perhaps 

 more especially the smaller forms, is decidedly difficult. There 

 is an absence of figures, and the descriptions, unfortunately, are 

 exceedingly brief. 



My best thanks are due to Captain Hutton, Mr. Henry Suter, 

 of Auckland, and Mr. Charles Hedley, of the Australian Museum, 

 for much valuable assistance. 



* Cat. Marine Moll. N.Z., p. To. 



