REPORT ON A COLLECTION OF SHELLS FROM PERU, WITH 
A SUMMARY OF THE LITTORAL MARINE MOLLUSCA OF 
THE PERUVIAN ZOOLOGICAL PROVINCE. 
By Witiiam Hearty Dat, 
Curator, Division of Mollusks, U.S. National Museum. 
INTRODUCTION.’ 
Under the auspices of the Ministerio de Fomento of Peru, Mr. R. E. 
Coker was engaged in making studies and collections of animals of 
the Peruvian coast with the intention of contributing to the knowl- 
edge of the aquatic resources of the country. In the course of this 
work numerous economic notes were made in relation to the animals 
obtained. 
On the portion of the collection consisting of Mollusca, the authori- 
ties of Peru, through the intervention of Mr. Coker, have requested 
the writer to prepare a report. 
It was found on looking into the matter that no systematic list 
of the shore mollusks of the Peruvian province had been published 
for more than half a century. It was thought that the value of this 
report to the naturalists of Peru and elsewhere would be consider- 
ably enhanced, after discussing the collection in question, if to it was 
added a list of the species reported as occurring on the shores of the 
Peruvian zoological province. The present report therefore contains 
both, together with illustrations of the chief economic mollusks of the 
Peruvian coast and islands contained in the collection. 
It should be said that specimens of this collection have been 
returned with identifications, to the Peruvian authorities, and another 
series retained in the U. S. National Museum for reference. The 
notes in small type were prepared by Mr. Coker, who also collected 
the local names by which the more conspicuous species are known 
to the fishermen and local salesmen. It will be observed that these 
‘“common’’ names are no more precise or descriptive than those of 
our own fishermen, the same name being often applied to extremely 
distinct animals. 
PROCEEDINGS U.S. NATIONAL Museum, VoL. 37—No. 1704. 
: 147 
