468 NOTES ON PROSOBRANCHIATA, 



The above is Tate's description of this apex, and well describes 

 the specimens I have been enabled to examine, except that in 

 some instances two small spiral threads may be seen below the 

 anterior carination. Though all the specimens examined exhibit 

 the same characters the abrupt termination of the sculpture and 

 *' suddenly narrowed " posterior whorl present all the features of 

 a caducous cast and subsequent shedding of the nuclear whorls. 

 At the beginning of the adult structure the lower threads become 

 suddenly strengthened, and all become somewhat nodulose. 



Among recent species, L. suhdistortum^ Lamk., drops its pro- 

 toconch at a very early stage. Dr. Yerco, who has sent me 

 specimens of only two and one-half whorls, says he has never 

 taken a specimen with its protoconch attached. 



LoTORiUM ABBOTTi, Tenison-Woods, sp. 



(Plate xvii., fig. 4.) 



Triton abbotti, Ten.-Woods, Proc.Roy. Soc. Tas. 1875 (1876), p. 24, 

 pi. i., f. 8. 



Apex of a little more than two whorls; nucleus very small, 

 central, rapidly enlarging; posterior whorl nearly as large as the 

 anterior, first whorl and one-half smooth, polished; thence the 

 sculpture which ornaments the adult shell is gradually developed. 



Tate describes (I.e., p. 117) four and one-half whorls to this 

 apex; it is only very faintly defined (at the dotted line on my 

 figure), and it is, therefore, probable that he reckoned from the first 

 varix. 



The specimens from which this apex is described are from 

 Schnapper Point, but they have been carefully compared with 

 specimens from the type locality, and there can be no doubt as 

 to their identity. 



LOTORIUM PROTENSUM, Tate, Sp. 



(Plate xvii., fig. 5.) 

 Triton protensus, Tate, op. cit. p. 124, pi. v., f. 10. 



Apex of a little less than two whorls, polished; nucleus small, 

 placed a little to one side of the centre, rapidly enlarging; anterior 



