BY C. IIEDLEY. 707 



for Mr. C. T. Simpson, of the U.S. National Museum, writes to 

 me that he does not know this species as American. Then 

 it was figured by Reeve* as Litkodomus spleiididus, from 

 Sydne3^ Neither the change of genus or of liabitat is explained 

 by Reeve. As regards his classification, he was perhaps influenced 

 by Chenu, who figured the speciesf as Bottda splendida. Chenu's 

 mistaken reference of this species to Botula has been disastrous. 



Morch| introduced Botula as a subgenus of Litliophaga (Litho- 

 domus according to Reeve), and named two species under it, 

 Modiola ifagina, Lam., and Mytilus fuscus, Gmelin. In effect 

 Chenu substituted another type and misled Stolickza,§ among 

 others, into placing a wrong interpretation on Mcirch's genus. 



M. splendida is nearly related to Modiolaria barbata, Reeve. || 

 By their hirsute epidermis these differ from the typical expression 

 of the genus. 



J/, splendida seems a rare shell. It is recorded by Whiteleggell 

 as found off George's Head, Sydney Harbour, and it has been 

 collected by Mr. J. Brazier at Ballina, N.S. Wales. 



Spisula parva, Petit. 



(Plate xxxiv., figs. 2, 3.) 



This common, estuarine and gregarious bivalve varies con- 

 siderably in size and shape. Several names have been bestowed 

 upon it, and though the synonomy has not before been con- 

 solidated it has in part and locally been recognised. The exterior 

 has has been several times figured, but the accompanying sketches 

 drawn from a S3^dne3^ specimen 29 mm. long are the first to deal 



* Reeve, Conch. Icon. x. Lithodomus, pi. v , f. 31, Jan. 1858. 



t Chenu, Man. de Conch., Pt. ii., p. 156, fig. 775, 1859. 



X Morch, Cat. Conch. Yoldi, p. 55, 1855. 



§ Stolickza, Cretac. Fauna South India, iii., pp.370, 375-6, 1871. 



'! Eeeve, Conch. Icon. x. Lithodomus, pi. v., f. 27. 



IT Whitelegge, Journ. Eoy. Soc. N.S.VV., xxiii., 1889 (1890), p. 244. 



