DISTRIBUTION OF AUSTRALASIAN VOLUTES. 
U 
9. —VOLUTA FUSIFORM IS—Swainson, 
Has also been found on tlie East coast of Australia, at Broken 
Bay, aud at Twofold Bay; but it is doubtless characteristically Tas¬ 
manian, having a still larger distribution than mamilla on that Is¬ 
land. It also has claims to rank amongst the most beautiful of 
Australian shells, not only from its size, but from its gorgeous colour¬ 
ing. It is sometimes over six inches in length, and on a bright 
yellow ground, has zigzag longitudinal broad markings of dark brown. 
The V. fusiformis (like mamilla and magnified) is a deep-water 
shell, and is only found thrown ashore after gales, during very 
heavy storms, and for some days afterwards some hundreds are found 
on the Black River Beach. The shell has little architectural dif¬ 
ference, but the lightning-like markings vary greatly. The specimens 
found at Broken Bay were dead, and arc of a very large size, and 
otherwise are of themselves a distinct variety. 
10.— VOLUTA PIPERATA— Sowerby, 
This species although described for many years, still continues 
comparatively a very rare shell, the few genuine specimens which I 
have seen were obtained at New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands, 
in company with V. Ruckeri ; varieties of the latter are not un¬ 
common, where it requires a practised eye to detect the difference; 
the entire surface of the shell is, as it were, peppered with minute 
orange brown dots, and short broad lightning-like markings ot an 
olive black running longitudinally. Both this and V. Ruckeri 
must be found in rather shallow water, as specimens were frequently 
brought by the natives to the ships with the animal in a living 
state in them. 
11._VOLUTA DESIIAYESI— Reeve, 
A handsome tuberculated species, red, with a thick epidermis, 
often of a dark brown colour, from the North coast ot New Cale¬ 
donia. _ 
12.— VOLUTA INNEXA— Reeve, 
Has recently been obtained by Mr. Brazier, from the East Coast 
of New South Wales, about midway between latitude oO and 31 
South, in the neighbourhood of the Bellinger ltiver. Sowerby 
defines this species as closely resembling V. rutila Mod but 
differing from it in being more, angular, and having tubercles on 
the an<dc, the colouring being similar in pattern, but paler. 
SECTION AMORIA. 
13.— VOLUTA ZEBRA— Leach, 
A small species, generally measuring about two inches long, 
yellowish white ornamented with almost straight dark chocolate 
