Fossil Fauna, Table Cape Beds, Tasmania. 107 



50. Cypraea sphaerodoma?, Tate. 



Id., Tate, Gast. III., 1890, p. 209, pi. viii., fig. 5. 



Observatio7is. — It is with some hesitation that I record this 

 species as occurring at Table Cape, owing to the incompleteness 

 of the example before me, but after careful examination I have 

 been unable to refer it to any other species. 



51. Cypraea platyrhyncha, McCoy, var. angustior, 

 var. nov. Plate IV., figs. 8 and 9. 



C. platyrhyncha, McCoy, Prod. Pal. Vic, 1876, Dec. III., 

 p. 40, pi. XXX., figs. 2-2^. 



Observations. — As the common Table Cape shell shows some 

 important departures from the type and usual form in the lower 

 beds of Spring Creek, near Geelong, it seems to me advisable to 

 regard these characters as of sufficient value for the introduction 

 of a varietal name. Sir F. McCoy, when describing this species, 

 has already remarked on some variation from the type form, for 

 whereas the rostrum in the type is broad and flattened like a 

 duck's bill, he has noticed narrower specimens, one or two which 

 show a slight indication of the two anterior dorsal tubercles, and 

 a variation in the number of teeth on the outer lip. The 

 characters iipon which I base this varietal name are the usually 

 smaller size of the shell, tlie much more rapidly tapering and on 

 that account narrower anterior end, the moderately strong- 

 development of the two anterior dorsal nodulations or tubercles, 

 the less unequal growth and thickening of the two sides of the 

 posterior canal, the direct efFuseness over the spire of the posterior 

 canal, the tendency to upturning of the anterior end and canal, 

 and the stronger development and greater number of teeth on 

 both lips. Sir F. McCoy's description of the mouth of C. platy- 

 rhyncha is as follows : — " . . . mouth narrow, flexuous, nearly 

 edentulous, the posterior half and anterior fourth of both lips 

 without teeth, the intervening quarter of the length of the outer 

 lip having about twelve obtuse small teeth on the edge, the 

 corresponding portion of inner lip with still smaller and fewer 

 similar teeth, not extended as sulci over the base." In the 

 present variety the anterior fourth of both lips is as above with- 

 out teeth, but the remainder of the outer lip is toothed right up 



