61 



smooth operculum. If the species is what Messrs. Adams 

 consider a true Lunella it is at best only a sub- genus like 

 Senectus, according to Chenu. 



Ninella is a genus proposed by Gray in 1850, for two 

 species especially distinguished by two spiral raised ribs on 

 the operculum. It does not seem admissible to found a 

 genus on the shape of the operculum alone, and this one 

 would if admitted be found very inconvenient. The other 

 features referred to by Messrs. Adams would be included in 

 several genera. We have amongst the two enumerated 

 Turbo straminea, but only very rarely seen upon the north 

 coast. 



Our next genus is Carinidea, which was proposed by W. 

 Swainson as a sub-division of Canthorhis. He thus defines 

 it : — " Imperforate, spire pyramidal, acute, basal whorl con- 

 cave beneath, carinated round its circumference, aperture oval 

 entire, slightly angular at the base of the pillar, which turns 

 inwards." Chenu in his " Manual " gives quite another 

 definition, making it a sub-genus of Polydonta. By some 

 it has been identified with Uvanilla, a genus of G-ray's (Sys. 

 Arr. Moll., p. 144) ; but Gray distinctly says shell top- 

 shaped, imperforate with marginal spines. The mistake may 

 have arisen from the fact that Gray included in his genus 

 Lamarck's Trochus fimhriatus (Animal, s. vert., vol. IX. p. 125.) 

 But Swainson gave his name quite independently for what 

 he considered a new species (Proc. Eoy. Soc. Tas., vol. Ill, 

 p. 39.) Lamarck's definition is T. testa orhiculato-conica, 

 longitudinaliter obsolete costulata, transversim striata, albido 

 lucescente ; anfractibus margine crenulato-fimbriatis, inferne 

 facie planulata, imperforata. He adds that it was from the 

 seas of New Holland. Its fringes or borders {franges) are 

 short, and, as it were, spotted with yellow. Diameter of the 

 base, 13 lines. This description nearly corresponds with 

 Swainson' s shell, and who says he had never met with it 

 before. He had doubtless seen Lamarck's types in Paris, 

 because the copy of the work from which I have taken this 

 description is the very one Swainson had with him in 

 Tasmania, now in the museum library, Sydney, and which is 

 full of his manuscript notes on Lamarck's species.* More- 

 over, Swainson says it was destitute of color or any distinct 

 markings. The shells must be very near each other, and it 

 is a strange coincidence that Swainson gave the same name. 

 His figure is not a very good one, but recognizable. He 



*Lamarck's private collection became, at his death, the property of 

 Prince Massena, who sold them to Baron Delessert. They formed part of 

 his celebrated museum, of which M. Chenu, the learned conchologist, was 

 the curator. All the types are labelled in Lamarck's handwriting. 



