348 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



vicinity of Lyttelton, South Island. The shell has most of the 

 characters of the species, but the interior has no radiate brownish 

 bands. The surface is sculptured by about 20 more or less elevated 

 ribs, and in each interval are several riblets. The main ribs are light 

 brown, sometimes punctured with white. The ground colour is 

 greenish or grey, often blotched with white. The nacre is silvery 

 white, often with a yellowish tint. Central area mostly greyish 

 white, sometimes, in old shells, rusty. Adult shells are much higher 

 than radians. 



Length. Breadth. Height. 



Sjiecimen from Sumner ... 50 ... 41 ... 21mm. 

 ,, ,, Napier ... 42 ... 34 ... 15 ,, 



,, ,, Timaru ... 53 ... 44 ... 17 ,, 



Type-specimen of Q. & G. 24 ... 22-5 ... 6-8 „ 

 I examined the dentition, and found it to be the same as in 

 E. radians. 



Hah. — Throughout New Zealand, most common on the east coast of 

 the South Island. 



Subsp. decora, Philippi. 

 Patella decora, Philippi: Zeitschr. f. Malak. (1848), p. 162; Abbild., 

 pi. iii, fig. 3. 

 ,, decora. Reeve : Conch. Icon., vol. viii, figs. 33rt-c. 

 Melcioniscus decorus, Pilsbry : Man. Conch. (1), vol. xiii, p. 140, 

 pi. Ixix, figs. 29-31. 

 Shell mostly large, semiglobose, apex much inclined to the anterior, 

 more rounded than in the typical species, with 20-24 distant reddish- 

 brown ribs on a yellowish or greenish olive ground. Interior 

 iridescent, with the brown radiating ribs shining through the pearly 

 layer; central area milk white to greyish olive. My largest specimen, 

 from Taurauga, has the following dimensions: — Length 60, breadth 50, 

 height 18 mm. 



The dentition is unknown. 



Hab. — East coast of both islands, rare. 



Subsp. Earlii, Reeve. 

 Patella Earlii, Reeve: Conch. Icon., vol. viii, fig. 71 (1855). 



,, fiexmsa, Huttou : Cat. Mar. Moll. N. Zeal., p. 45 (1873), not 

 of Quoy & Graimard. 

 Selcioniscus Earlii, Pilsbry: Man. Conch. (1), vol. xiii, p. 140, 

 pi. xxi, figs. 51, 52. 



Distinguished from the species by the rotundately ovate form, the 

 convexly raised front, the broad blood-red blotches, and the milk- 

 white central area. This is a very distinct and easily recognized sub- 

 species. The altitude is generally not greater than in radians, but 

 the breadth is much greater in proportion to the length. 



I examined the dentition, and found it to be exactly the same as in 

 the species. 



Hab. — I have specimens from Tauranga, Te Onepoto and Sumnei 

 near Lyttelton, Akaroa, Timaru, and Preservation Inlet. In the first 

 two localities perfectly typical specimens occur. 



