THE NAUTILUS. 21 



nomenon. The physiologic preliminaries for ovulation have 

 been noted by the writer on many instances in his detailed 

 studies of two most accessible species of this State. It was 

 found that the ovisacs were frequently distended with water 

 before being filled with eggs, a reproductive function that may 

 be necessary in all species in order that the ova may not be 

 injured, that greater numbers may be admitted and that the 

 laminae may be stretched to a thinness more suitable for the 

 aeration of the embryos. 



A NEW OVULA FROM CALIFOENIA. 



BY S. STILLMAN BERRY. 



Neosimnia catalinensis, new species. 



Shell very thin, fusiform, swollen above the middle, maxi- 

 mum diameter contained about 2^ times in the length ; color a 

 nearly pure porcelain or pearly white, the extreme ends tinted 

 with brownish yellow for a distance of 2 to 3 mm. Surface 

 polished and glossy ; closel}^ and finely longitudinally striate, 

 the striae readily visible to the eye and rather irregular, a few 

 being somewhat coarser than the remainder. Spiral sculpture 

 comprising some 20-25 low cords at each end, becoming min- 

 utely wavy as they are intersected by the longitudinal striae ; 

 indications of an extremely faint wavy spiral striation over the 

 rest of the shell are discovered by a strong lens. Shell pointed 

 at both ends, but distinctly more produced at the apex than the 

 base. Outer lip not greatly thickened, bordered by a narrow 

 white callus ; retracted at both ends, in each instance with an 

 obscure angle. Columella sinuous ; a low spiral fold and 

 channel at the summit obliquely encircling the axis. 



Length 23 mm. ; maximum diameter 8^ mm. 



Type: Cat. No. 1224 of the writer's collection. 



Type Locality : 50 fathoms, off Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, 

 California (Avalon Aquarium, August 1906). 



Remarks : The type and a young specimen from the same 

 locality taken by J. H. Paine in 1903 are before me. N. cata- 

 linoisis does not seem to be very similar to any of the related 



