114 COLLECTIONS FROM. MELANESIA. 



G9. Spondylus multisetosus. 

 Reeve, Conch. Icon. fig. 11. 



Hub. Philippine Islands {Cuming) ; Warrior Beef, Torres Straits 

 (Coppinger). 



The principal ridges which support the largest spines are about 

 twelve in number on the upper valve, pale or yellowish between the 

 spines, at the base of which they are stained with a dark san- 

 guineous colour. The interior of the valves is margined with pur- 

 plish brown, and the straight hinge-line is finely striated within 

 transversely ; the flat hinge-area of the lower valve is also finely 

 striated across. 



70. Spondylus victoriae. 



Sowerby, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 428, pi. 49. fig. 8. 

 Var. = Spondylus wrightianus, Crosse, Journ. de Conch.187'2, vol. xx. 

 p. 360, vol. xxi. p. 253, pi. 9. figs. 1, la. 



Hub. !New Caledonia (Mus. Cuming) ; Flinders and Clairmont, 

 Islands N".E. Australia, 11 fms., sand and mud bottom, and Port 

 Molle, 10 fms. (Coppinger); Nichol Bay, Australia (Crosse fide 

 Wright). 



The description of this species given by Sowerby is very insuffi- 

 cient, and his locality, " Gulf of California," incorrect. He describes 

 the number of largecostaa as four ; but as a rule there are five, which 

 even appear in his own figure. 



In the lower or attached valve the number of large spine-bearing 

 ridges in the three specimens before me is seven ; these spines are 

 generally straighter than those on the upper valve, and channelled 

 on the upperside. Sowerby's figure exaggerates the wavy character 

 and breadth of the upper spines. 



The surface of the valves and the hinge- area agree with Crosse's 

 description of the variety wrightianus, which has the spines on the 

 upper valve straighter, and less spreading at the extremities. The 

 single specimen dredged by Dr. Coppinger has the spines of a pinkish- 

 buff colour, whilst those in the type are pure white. 



71. Pecten lsopardus. 



Reeve, Conch. Icon. fig. 145. 



Var. = Pecten kuhnholtzi, Bernardi, Journ. de Conch. 1863, vol. viii. 



p. 378, pi. 13. fig. 1. 

 Var. = Pecten Solaris, Sowerby (non Bom), Thes. Conch, pi. 12. fig. 22 ; 



Dunher in Philippis Abbild. vol. i. pi. 2. fig. 2; Reeve, Conch. Icon. 



fig. 92. 



Hub. Moreton Bay, Queensland (Reeve); Arafura Sea, Dundas 

 Strait (Coppinger) ; New Caledonia (Bernardi) ; Amboina (Dunk; r, 

 for var. Solaris). 



It is not surprising that M. Bernardi did not recognize his shell 

 in P. leopardus, considering how inadequate a description is given 

 by Peeve. I have carefully compared red-rayed specimens from 



