DISTRIBUTION OF AUSTRALASIAN VOLUTES. 15 
two varieties, one of which has a dark reticulated pattern, and may 
he mistaken at first sight for the young of V. reticulata : . the 
true V. prcetexta has a very light uniform pattern of delicate 
pyramidal lacework, and, in addition, two hands of crescent-shaped 
patches running round the hody whorl. Good specimens of this 
beautiful volute are very rare—the specimens I have were obtained 
from Dolphin Island and round the Flying Foam Passage; none 
were obtained to the eastward, hut the shell being small, it may 
have been overlooked. 
23.— VOLUTA TURNERI— Gray, 
Another of the striped species, much resembling the West 
Australian Volutes in form, is not found at the North-West. It 
is very likely that this Volute takes the place of Y. Elliotti, and 
will be found near the new settlement formed by the South Aus¬ 
tralian Government in their North Australian possessions; its 
habitat, I should think, will be found to be North Australia. 
24. — VOLUTA JAMRACKI— Gray. 
In 18G4, Dr. Gray described this species as Voluta Turneri 
Jamracki , a variety of Voluta Turneri. In this I feel quite 
sure he was wrong, as it is a very distinct species. The shell now 
referred to has been obtained in rather large numbers at Nichol 
Day, on the North-West Coast. In general appearance it 
resembles the smaller specimens of Voluta Elliotti „ having a dirty 
white ground colour ornamented with a number of almost straight 
longitudinal brown lines; its principal character is its channelled 
suture. 
25 . — VOLUTA MACULATA— Swainson. 
Is confined to the North-east coast of Australia. Commencing 
at Port Curtis, it ranges as far as Port Denison. It is a rare and 
beautiful shell, and is generally found with the apex wanting as 
far as the first or second suture. On Curtis and other islands on 
the North-east coast V. maculata abounds, and lately I have 
received a good number of fine specimens from Queen’s Deach, Port 
Denison. 
20. —VOLUTA LINEA/TA —Leach. 
This species is considered by Peeve, Angas, and other good 
authorities only a variety of V. zebra, but having obtained a fine 
series of these two species, I am inclined to adopt the original 
Opinion of Leach, and consider them distinct. The present species 
is a much larger shell than zebra, is much more fusiform, and is 
less inflated ; the lineal flexuous streaks with which they are 
