22 
cockle banks and amongst rocks, especially those where sand is 
mixed with mud. The name Testudinea, from Latin testudo, a 
tortoise, is an appropriate one, as when held up to the light 
this Cominella looks like tortoise-shell. 
COMINELLA VIRGATA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 13 is a greyish- 
brown shell, the raised lines, or ridges, that cross it being almost 
black. I have rarely found it, except amongst rocks in the harbours. 
It is much narrower than the Cominella testudinea, and not quite 
as long. The best way to obtain good specimens of these two 
Cominella is to break limpets, or others shellfish, and throw them 
into shallow water, close to rocks. In a few minutes, on re- 
visiting the baits, the best specimens can be selected for the cabinet. 
COMINELLA NASSOIDES (Plate IV.).—Fig. 14 is a 
pinkish-yellow shell, with very pronounced ridges on the exterior. 
The interior is brownish. So far, I have heard of its being found 
only in the South Island and the Chathams. 
LOTORIUM OLEARIUM (Plate V.).—Fig. 1 (late Triton 
olearium) is a mottled brown and white shell, similar in its habits 
to the Lotorium rubicundum (Plate III.), but usually found on 
grassy banks in harbours at or below low water mark. The second 
figure on the plate is a good specimen of this shell, with its epi- 
dermis untouched, while the first figure has had the epidermis 
removed. To such shells as this and the Solenomya parkinsoni 
(Plate IX., Fig. 18) the epidermis adds an additional beauty, 
and to preserve it I have used a preparation of glycerine and 
chloride of calcium, being careful to put it on before the epidermis 
has time to dry or crack. 
APOLLO ARGUS (Plate V.).—Fig. 2 (late Ranella argus) is 
a white or light grey shell, covered with a thin chestnut-brown 
epidermis. The lines that show so distinctly on the figure are 
dark chestnut. It is found on ocean beaches in both Islands, 
and attains a length of four inches. 
APOLLO AUSTRALASIA (Plate V.).—Fig. 3 (late Ranella 
leucostoma) is a reddish-brown shell, covered with a fine hairy 
epidermis. The interior is purple. It is found amongst rocks in 
the open sea around the North Island. The edge of the lip is 
very deeply grooved. It attains a length of 4 inches. 
LOTORIUM SPENGLERI (Plate V.).—Fig. 4 (late Triton 
spengleri) is a yellowish-white shell, covered with a pale brown 
transparent epidermis. The lines shown on the plate mark 
