158 CYPFUEID^E. 



tial synonymy and bibliography in the " Jahrbiicher der 

 Deutschen Malakozoologischen Gesellschaft " for the same 

 year. 



According to Woodward, 97 fossil- species have been deter- 

 mined. 



The subdivision of the Cyprseidre into groups, is attended 

 with considerable difficulty, inasmuch as many of the species 

 which appear distinct when the types only of each are compared, 

 are found to be closely connected by intermediate forms. For 

 instance, take the series of shells of which G. staphylsea and C. 

 polita are the extreme examples : 



The former is dark in color, pustulate, and the teeth extend 

 entirely over the base of the shell, in the form of ridges, while 

 the latter is cream-tinted, perfectly smooth, the teeth being con- 

 fined to the margin of the aperture except for a short distance 

 at the extremities of the columella, and I do not hesitate to 

 place it in the same group with the beautiful C. Listeri, Gray. 

 Yet it is possible to connect them. The same may be said of 

 many other well-recognized antipodal species. Again, local 

 causes have produced variations in well-known species and these 

 have received new names, thereby swelling the synonymy. This 

 is noticeable in the case of the New Caledonian forms which 

 frequently occur rostrate and show a tendency to melanism. 

 Quite in contrast is this with the pale coloring exhibited in num- 

 erous Sandwich Islands specimens of other well-known species. 

 It has been observed that the pale coloring peculiar to the 

 shells from the latter locality, is confined to the Cypraeidde. 



Of the New Caledonian forms, over forty species are found 

 at Mauritius, and Dr. Jousseaume remarks as a consequence 

 that this representation in so widely separated and completely 

 isolated localities is not in accordance with the views of the 

 advocates of geographical provinces. 



Various classifications have been proposed, the most promi- 

 nent being those of Gray, H. and A. Adams, Sowerby, Troschel, 

 Weinkauff, and Jousseaume. 



Dr. Gray recognized six genera : Cyprasa, Luponia, Cypriro- 

 vula, Trivia, Erato, Ovulum ; subdividing the first into sub- 

 genera Cypraea, Aricia, Naria. His descriptions are as follows : 



