27 



ON SOME NEW SPECIES OF TASMANIAN MARINE 

 SHELLS. 



By Eev. J. E. Tenison Woods, F.G.S., F.L.S., &c. 



[Read 13th April, 1875.] 



The following species of marine shells have been placed at 

 tny disposal for description by Mr. W. Legrand. the well- 

 known conchologist of Hobart Town. They were all procured 

 recently in a series of dredging operations, conducted by the 

 Rev. H. D. Atkinson, in Long Bay, D'Entrecasteaux Channel. 

 They are eight in number, comprising three species of 

 Marqinella, and one species respectively of the genera. 

 Triforis, Odontostoma, Eulima (?) Ne^ra, and Cardita. 

 Apparently they have hitherto escaped the attention of 

 naturalists, owing no doubt to their very small size, and pro- 

 bably also because dredging in the interests of couchology has 

 been almost untried in Tasmania. All the shells have an 

 Australian yj/^-/*"*, that is to say, they are all more or less allied 

 to those species which are characteristic of Australia. The 

 Odontostoma seems to me, however, inseparable from a well- 

 known miocene fossil. It would be interesting to find well- 

 proved instances of survivors from the extinct cainozoic fauna 

 of Europe. Analogy would lead us to look for the survivors 

 here, and further investigation may show that the search haa 

 not proved in vain. The following is the diagnosis : — 



1. Cardita Atkixsoxi, nov. spec. C. testa parca, fasca, suborbi- 

 culato-cordifurmi, suh-obliqua, IG-costata ; costis radiantlbus, iwdoso- 

 imbricntis, lunula obsoJeta. Long. 13. Lat. 12. millimetres. 



C. shell small dusky, suborbiculately cordiform, sub-oblique, 

 16-ribbed ; ribs radiating, nodosely imbricate, lunule obsolete. 



This shell has, at the request of Mr. Legrand, been named 

 after the Rev. H. D. Atkinson, who has given much attention 

 to dredging investigations. The shells are rather common, 

 but found in few other places besides Long Bay. 



2. NE.i:RA Tasmanica, n.s. iV. testa parva, fragilis, suh-fusca, 

 tra)usversa, tenuis, inequivalvis, clausa, transverslm regulariter sulcata; 

 aidcis 2^0'UciSf latere antico rotundato, postico rostrato. Long, 5. 

 Lat. 3. millimetres. 



N. shell, small fragile, dusky, thin, incequivalve, closed, regu- 

 larly transversely sulcate, sulci few, anterior end rounded ; 

 posterior prolonged or rostrate. Long Bay, 6 fathoms. 

 The small size and regular sulci of this species easily servo 

 to distinguish it. Rare. 



3. Marginella MiNUTissiMA, n.s. M. testa, minutissima, ovata, 

 ovuUformi, nitente-fusca, spira immersa; anfractibus superne productis ; 

 labro rnodicc incrassato; apertura ctirvata ; columella triplicata, 

 superne obsolete dentata. Long. 3. Lat. 1. millimetres. 



M. shell ovate, most minute, ovuliform, shining fawn color, 



