By W. L. MAY. o8l 



direction, and remains fairly distinct from its nearest ally. 

 There are several more tolerably distinct forms that are 

 tempting to describe, but I leave them for the present. 



2nd. The group represented by ]\I. allporti. Here 

 again the variation is great, and the question whether 

 some of the forms represent species or only varieties is a 

 difficult one. AI. kemblensis, Hedley is an intermediate 

 form which has been withdrawn by the author, but I am 

 inclined to let it stand as a species for the present, as it 

 represents a sub-group apparently confined to deep 

 water. I have selected a large form for description, M. 

 gracilis, which is far removed from M. allporti, and con- 

 siderably so from the nearest connection. Other inter- 

 mediate, but fairly distinct forms, are left for further con- 

 sideration. 



In addition, I know of several distinct species which 

 cannot yet be dealt with for want of more and better 

 material, and have no doubt that when our waters have 

 been thoroughly searched our total list of species of this 

 beautiful little genus will be at least 50. 



I have had the advantage of examining a large series 

 of new forms from South Australia, dredged by Dr. \'erco 

 in the deeper waters of that state. ]\Iany of those I am 

 now dealing vrith occur there also, and the variation is 

 even greater, largely owing probably to the much more 

 extensive dredging operations. 



I have drawn the figures carefully under the camera 

 lucida, and they gave a faithful representation of the 

 species. The types have been placed in the Tasmanian 

 Museum, Hobart. 



MARGIXELLA HEDLEYI, X.S.P. (PL. XIIL, 

 FIG. I.) 



Shell solid, cylindroid, with a distinct spire, yellowish 

 white, with two distinct orange bands; spire obtuse, 

 whorls four; aperture rather narrow, widening anteriorly; 

 iip slightly thickened, and finely denticulate in the type; 

 some specimens are, hov.-ever, smooth in this respect; 

 columella convexly curved, with four strong oblique 

 plaits, and a tendency towards a fifth. The two orange 

 .olour bands divide the shell into three roughly equal 



