88 DE. T. DAVIDSON ON EECENT BEACHIOPODA. 



TerebrafeJla {Tcrebratuhi) crventa, L. Reeve, Conch. Icon. pi. v. fig. 20, a, b, 1860. 

 Terebratella {Magus) Evrinsn, L. Reeve, Concli. Icon. pi. viii. fig. 31, 1861. 



Terebratella cruenta, Dall, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelpliia, 1873, p. 183; F. W. Hutton, Catalogue 

 of the Marine Mollusca of New Zealand, p. 85, 1873. 



Shell rather large, somewhat subpentagonal, subtransverse, ventricose, longer than 

 broad. Dorsal valve convex, channelled longitudinally along the middle by a well-defined, 

 flattened, mesial sinus or depression. Ventral valve deeper and moi-e convex than the 

 opposite one, with a longitudinal mesial fold of moderate breadth and elevation, some- 

 what flattened, extending from the beak to the front; margins flexuous both laterally 

 and in front ; beak incurved and truncated by a large circular foramen, separated from 

 the hinge-line by a deltidium in two pieces ; beak-ridges not very sharply defined. Sur- 

 face of valves rad lately costellated ; ribs narrow, numerous, increasing in number 

 at various distances from the beak and umbo through bifurcation and the interpola- 

 tion of smaller and shorter riblets between the larger ones ; surface of valves crossed 

 at various distances by concentric lines of growth. In the interior of the dorsal 

 valve the cardinal process and hinge-plate are large and well defined ; the mesial septum, 

 of low elevation, extends to lialf or a little more of the length of the valve. Loop large, 

 doubly attached, the principal stems, before attaining their greatest length, give oflP a 

 flat oblique lamella, which becomes fixed near the anterior extremity of the septum, the 

 lamella proceeding again and doubling in the shape of a loop. Colour sanguineous or 

 paler red, deepest in intensity at the lines of growth. Length 1 inch 10 lines, 

 breadth 1 inch 11 lines, depth 1 inch 2 lines. 



Mab. Very abundant in Cook's and Fauveau Straits, New Zealand. 



Ohs. This beautiful shell has been rather unfortunate on account of the many con- 

 fusing names it has received. In 1823, Donovan, in vol. i. of his ' Naturalist's Reposi- 

 tory,' described and figured the shell, and enters into long details with respect to its early 

 history. He informs us, that it is one of those very choice accessions to the conchological 

 knowledge of the last century, that it occurred to them upon the coast of New Zealand, 

 and that after the Banksian Cabinet had been supplied, duplicates were presented to 

 Dr. Solander, Captain Cook, the Duchess of Portland, Mr. Cracherode, and Mr. G. 

 Humphrey, and to some others. That it was named and described for the first time, in 

 manuscript, by Solander under the name oi Anomia sanguinea *, was subsequently so desig- 

 nated in the museum of the Duchess of Portland ; and that it appeared under the same 

 appellation in the catalogue of that museum pul)lished in 1786. Donovan complains 

 very bitterly that Dillwyn should not have adopted, in 1817, Solander's manuscript name, 

 and should have given it instead that of cruenta, a name Solander had also made use of 

 in manuscript for another species. Dillwyn was, however, justified in rejecting Solander's 

 designation, since Chemnitz had previously, in 1785, applied the name sangu'mea to 

 another species ; for manuscript names cannot claim a right to priority over any others that 

 have been really published. It is to be regretted, however, that Dillwyn had selected for the 



* " Obovato longitudinaliter sulcata, triloba : sinu profundo nate producta latere angulata foramen ambiante. 

 Solander's Miiii —Bab. in 0. Pacifico, G. R. Forster "(Donov. Nat. Rep. I.). 



