48 



through an identification from the shell alone must at best be 

 doubtful. 



I will now proceed to a description of the species examined 

 by me. 



Patella, limbata. Philippi Ahhild. und Besch Conch, pi. 

 ZJit/. 1 (as from North Australia). 



Shell large, ovate or suborbicular, somewhat depressed, 

 ribbed, dusky brown, with the intercostal spaces darker, apex 

 anterior, rounded, nearly always much corroded, and slightly 

 nacreous ; ribs broad, rounded, thickly, often coarsely grooved 

 with lines of growth ; intercostal spaces concave, often con- 

 taining smaller round ribs which do not reach the apex, the 

 number apparently increasing with age ; interior broadly 

 margined with large pattern of alternate rich claret and 

 brown, the claret marks intercostal, and may be traced some 

 distance up the shell ; within the margin interior of shell of 

 a peculiar silky nacre, silvery, bluish yellow or golden; 

 spatula well defined, bluish grey, slightly darker at the 

 margin, with broad concretionary line outside for the muscular 

 attachment, which is often coloured yellow. Held up against 

 the light the shell shows beautiful double claret-coloured rays, 

 which become smaller and interrupted by age, marking the 

 intercostal spaces. As the dimensions vary I give the 

 measurements of a few specimens, all taken from the rocks at 

 Southport. Long. 62, * Lat 53, alt. 24, ribs 37, (old but not 

 corroded) ; Long. 59, Lat. 47, alt. 27, ribs 37 ; Long. 71, 

 Lat. 64, alt. 32, ribs 36 ; Lon. 54, Lat. 47, alt. 23, ribs 29, 

 Long. 71, Lat. 61, alt. 28, ribs 37 ; Long. 67, Lat. 37, alt. 35, 

 ribs 33. 1 hus the relative dimensions and number of ribs 

 vary. The species is always found high above low water 

 mark. It attains its largest dimensions in Tasmania, but is 

 the commonest limpet of all the south coast of Australia. 



Animal olive green, above base of foot bluish brown, 

 mantle very pale yellowish green, fringed with numerous short 

 olive or speckled tentacles, every fourth one of which is 

 longer, head and muzzle olive green above, flesh-coloured else- 

 where ; tentacles of head somewhat long and tapering, and 

 dark olive above ; eyes scarcely perceptible at their outer base; 

 gills pale, translucent, and narrow, fringing the mantle all 

 round except at the excretory orifice above the head, no at- 

 tachment to head or neck, and not apparently passing into the 

 head chamber ; muscles of attachment silvery and conspicuous 

 within the gills. Odontophore very long from (8 to 10 inches), 

 and curled in the upper cavity of the foot in large irregular 

 folds, consisting of a series of pairs of long curved sharply 

 pointed teeth, closely set, and of dark colour, with a small trian- 



* All measurements in millimetres. 



