smith: on the genus vanikomo. 105 



which pp. 1-112, according to Wiegmann's Archiv Naturg., 1843, 

 p. 116, appeared in 1842. Philippi; however, in his " Handbuch der 

 Conch, und Malacozool.," p. 184, gives 1836 as the date of that work. 

 I think, however, that he was wrong, and Mr. Davies Sherborn, who 

 has to a great extent worked out the dates of Sagra's "Histoire," agrees 

 with me also. The first actual generic description of Narica is that 

 given by D'Orbigny in the Paleont. rran9., where he accredits the 

 genus to himself. At the same time, in a footnote, he refers to the 

 three species which he described in the Moll. Cuba, in which work he 

 states that M. Reclus {sic) has the intention of forming a distinct 

 genus of shells under this denomination, Narica. It seems, therefore, 

 that this genus, if adopted, must be assigned to D'Orbigny, and not to 

 Recluz. 



In the following list only the original localities are given, and a few 

 in the Museum collection about which there is no doubt. Lienard ^ 

 quotes seven species from the Mauritius, and Martens eleven in his 

 work on the Mollusca of the Mauritius and the Seychelles ; but were 

 the shells they had before them the same as identified by me ? It will 

 be observed that most of the species of the genus are insular. 



The identification of the species of this genus is especially difficult 

 as we get no assistance from colour, for, with the exception of V. rosea, 

 which I think is probably only the young of V. Cuvieriana, all the 

 species are white. Moreover, also, it is very difiicult in such figures 

 as those given by Sowerby and Tryon to convey a correct idea of the 

 surface sculpture. 



VANIKORO, Quoy & Gaimard. 



Vanikoro, Quoy & Gaimard: Voy. Astrolabe, Zoologie, vol. ii, p. 239 ; 



name only mentioned, not regarded as a genus (1832) ; Deshayes, 



in Lamarck's Anim. sans Vert., 2nd ed., vol. viii, p. 559 (1838). 

 Merria, Gray : "' Zool. Beechey's Voy., p. 137 (1839). Type, Sigaretus 



cancellahis, Lamk. 

 Leucotis, Swainson : Treatise on Malac, p. 346 (1840). Type, Sigaretus 



cancellatus, Lamk. 

 Narica (Eeclus), D'Orbigny : in Ramon de la Sagra's Hist. Cuba, 



Mollusques, vol. ii, p. 39 (1842). Type, Sigaretus cancellatus., 



Lamk. 

 iV«nV«, D'Orbigny: Paleont. Franq. Terr. Cret., vol. ii, p. 170 (1842). 

 Narica, Recluz : Rev. ZooL, 1844, p. 4 ; Mag. de Zool., 1845, p. 1. 



1. Vanikoro oancellata (Chemn,), Lamk. B.M.^ 



Nerita cancellata, Chemnitz : Conch. Cab., vol. x, p. 304, pi. clxv, 



figs. 1596-7. 

 Sigaretus cancellatus, Lamk. : Anim. s. Vert., vol. vi, pt. 2, p. 208. 



1 Oat. Faune Mai. Maurice, p. 47 (1877). 



2 The date of this genus is erroneously given by Melvill & Sykes as 1842, Proc. 



Malac. Soc, vol. iii, p. 227. 



3 B.M. in the margin signifies that the species is in the British Museum. 



