DISTRIBUTION OF MOLLUSC A. 5OI 



The seas of New Zealand and Australia have been formed into a 

 province. As might be anticipated, their mollusca have little in 

 common with those of the rest of the globe. 



The Japonic province includes the coasts of Japan and the Corea. 



The Aleutian province, the centre of which may be taken to be 

 the Aleutian Islands, shows great analogy with the Boreal province of 

 the west, a considerable number of the shells being identical a fact 

 especially interesting when we consider that very few species are 

 found common to both the south-eastern and south-western coasts of 

 America. 



The Californian province is very distinct from that of Panama ; 

 the genera most numerous found there are Chiton, Acmaea, Fissurella, 

 Trochus, and Purpura. 



The marine shells of Panama are upwards of 1,300 ; the region 

 included stretches from the Gulf of California to Peru. For our 

 knowledge of this province we are much indebted to the researches 

 of Dr. P. P. Carpenter, who has catalogued 654 species, as found at 

 Mazatlan. 



The Peruvian province contains a long list of species, and extends 

 from Callao to Valparaiso. 



The Magellanic province includes the extreme south of America 

 and the Falkland Islands. Many genera, the species of which are 

 usually small, here reach an enormous size, and afford, in many cases, 

 the chief animal food consumed by the quadrupeds and human 

 population of that wild and desolate coast. 



The Patagonian province extends from St. Catharina to Point 

 Melo on the east coast. The number of species found also in the 

 Falkland Islands is very small; but a large number are identical 

 with Brazilian species ; yet the majority are peculiar. 



The Caribbean province extends from Brazil to the West Indies, 

 and includes also the northern coast of South America and the Gulf 

 of Mexico; a total of 1,500 species is enumerated by Professor Adams 

 as belonging to the province. 



The Transatlantic province, or that on the coast of the United 

 States, does not afford a large number of species, only 230 being 

 known ; of these only fifteen are found in Europe. 



The study of the terrestrial and fresh-water mollusca affords even 

 better grounds for their division into provinces ; but we shall not enter 

 into this subject here, as it belongs more especially to the Land World. 



We shall now say a few words on the depth of the sea or ocean 

 in which Mollusca are found. 



