112 ANATOMY AND LIFE HISTORY OF MOLLUSCA. 



to Australia and Fuegia. Mr. Woodward gives other instances, 

 such as Mo?ioceros, Assiminea, which however must be founded 

 on some mistake. It is almost needless to say that the earlier 

 works on natural history are not to be relied upon for the habitats 

 of their Mollusca, a large number of species having been attributed 

 to Australia which we do not possess, and many Australian 

 species having been attributed by mistake to other countries. 

 This is certainly the case with regard to these two genera. 



The number of species common to S. Australia, Tasmania, and 

 other countries, is relatively small. I do not know of many 

 instances of Marine Mollusks common to Europe and Australia ; 

 though it is probable, as far as my observations go, that many 

 species which are regarded now by naturalists as distinct, are in 

 reality only modified varieties of species which are common to 

 Australia and other countries, perhaps even Europe. I have 

 always thought that some of the littoral shells, such as limpets, 

 are so modified by climate that their specific identity is lost sight 

 of. I believe that one species of Acmcea [A. marmorata, T.-W.,) 

 has been traced by me from the extreme south of Tasmania 

 through the tropics, Indian Archipelago, China, and so on, even 

 to Japan. What I regard as Littorina mauritiana, Reeve, is 

 common to the Mediterranean and Australia, though some 

 naturalists dispute this. Littorina, or Tectarius pyramidalis, 

 Quoy, which is best represented about Port Jackson and the 

 Heads by large specimens, has also small representatives in the 

 Philippines and in the Malay Peninsula. 



The following is a list furnished me by Mr. Brazier of species 

 of Marine Mollusca common to Europe and Australia : — 



Crepidula unguiformis, Lamarck. Found in Port Jackson, on 

 the entire coast of America, and in the Mediterranean. 



Crepidula aculeata, Gmelin. Port Jackson, southern coast of 

 America, S. Africa, India. 



Triton costatus, Born, = olearium, Angas (non Linn.). Coast 

 of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Mediterranean. 



Philippia lutea, Lamarck. Port Jackson, Coast of New South 

 Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Mediterranean Sea. 



Pileopsis ungaricus, L. Hobson's Bay or the Melbourne 

 Heads (Bracebridge Wilson) on the authority of Prof. Tate. 



From the foregoing remarks it will be seen that the Australian 

 Molluscan province, though possessing special peculiarities, does 

 not offer to the anatomist and physiologist any very exceptional 

 features for investigation. Yet there still remains a sufficiently 

 wide field of research to provide ample material for such an essay 

 as that for which the " Royal Society of New South Wales " has 

 offered its prize. Let it be observed, however, that the mere 

 enumeration of anatomical or physiological features would result 



