Si 
Since the publication of Pilsbry’s monograph of the genus Haliotis. 
Dr. R. E. C. Stearns has published and described a new variety of 
Haliotis, which he characterizes and names /Yaliotis fulgens, variety 
Walallensis. This variety was discovered a few years ago on the coast 
of Mendocino county, California, near Gualala, by Mr. Rivers. Dr. 
Stearns remarks of this shell as follows: 
“This variety differs from the type in its more elongate and flattened 
form, its constantly finer spiral threading, and its paler nacre. The con- 
centric Jamellation is sometimes undeveloped on the young shells. It 
has the same number of holes as the type. 
“The above may be regarded as the extreme northerly expression of 
H1. fulgens which has not heretofore been credited to any part of the coast 
north of Point Conception. From that point to Gualalla is an immense 
jump, about 320 nautical miles.”’ 
While the holes or perforations on the left dorsal side of the shells of 
the genus Haliotis may be of generic value, or a distinguishing character 
that serves to separate it from the genus Gena—a smaller but a similar 
shell without perforations—the number of holes is of no specific value 
whatever, as will be seen by the following examination of a large number 
of specimens, both young and adults, of Halzotes cracherodi (Leach): 
Number of holes, 5 to 9.—Carpenter. 
Number of holes, about 8.—Pilsbry. 
Dr. Stearns remarks of the number of holes in /7. cracherod zz, as follows: 
“Thirty-seven individuals gave a total of 236 complete holes, an ay- 
erage of about 614. One individual had had only 2, two had 4, while 
five had g, approaching the insular form known as Calzfornzensis (Swain- 
son). All of the foregoing were adult shells.” 
An examination of 27 adult shells of HZ. cracherodii (Leach) by myself 
gave the following result in the number of holes: 
Three had 5 holes; 
Four had 6 holes; 
Seven had 7 holes; 
Seven had 8 holes; 
Eight had 9g holes; 
One had 10 holes. 
An examination of 85 young shells of this same species, varying in 
size from one-fourth of an inch to two inches in length, gave the following 
variations in the number of perforations: 
Two had 3 holes; 
Twenty-one had 4 holes; 
Forty-four had 5 holes; 
Sixteen had 6 holes; 
Two had 7 holes. 
