40 



Critical Remarks on Some Australian 

 Mollusca. 



By Professor Ralph Tate. 



[Read May 4, 1897.] 



T availed myself of the opportunity during rny recent visit to 

 Europe to compare actual South Australian specimens taken with 

 me with the types of certain Australian species preserved in 

 National Museums of Paris and London. 



The Musee de l'Histoire Naturelle at Paris contains some of 

 the Lamarckian types collected by the Baudin-expedition on the 

 southern coasts of Australia, and some of those described and 

 figured by Quoy and Gaimard in the "Zoologie de 1' Astrolabe," 

 collected at King George Sound, Western Port, and Hobart. The 

 British Museum, London, contains the celebrated Cumingian col- 

 lections, many of the Australian species of which are figured in 

 Reeve's Icon. Conchol.; and types or co-types of species collected 

 by Angas, and described by himself, or in conjunction with A. 

 Adams, and by Crosse. 



I need not rehearse the many disappointments which I experi- 

 enced. But what authentic informations I have been able to 

 glean are set forth in the following pages. Doubtless many of 

 the synonymns herein indicated have already been established, 

 but the independent opinion of an Australian conchologist on 

 Australian shells may be worthy of record, even if it be only in 

 conformation of prior determinations. Exchanges of opinions 

 between Australian collectors and Mr. E. A. Smith, of the British 

 Museum, and other conchologists having access thereto, cover a 

 period at least of 20 years, and we have profited thereby, chiefly 

 as regards the larger forms ; but the National collection inade- 

 quately illustrates the molluscan fauna of Australia. 



PART I.— GASTEROPODA. 



Triton exaratus, T. Quoyi, T. verrucosus, and T. eburneus, 

 all of Reeve !, are correctly identified. 



Fusus ustulatus, Reeve !, is correctly identified. 



Cominella filicea, Crosse !. I have of this species specimens 

 now identified with the type from Newcastle, N.S.W., and N.E. 

 coast of Queensland. So far as I know, the species has not been 

 taken here by local collectors, and I suspect that Angas's record 

 of a single find is an importation, the locality of the type being 



