Sculpture is composed of prominent ribs, rounded above, 
and cut off straight at the suture of each whorl, those on 
the body whorl being shouldered, in fact almost nodular at 
the top, and sloping down to the level of the shell wall near 
its greatest diameter. 
I have seen them in scores ascending the mouths of rivers 
floating upside down on the flowing tide at night, returning 
to their usual haunts. They invariably sink to the bottom 
when touched. The Cominellas are carnivorous creatures, 
and may be regarded as the leading scavengers on the mud 
flats. They can always be found feasting upon any dead 
animal matter on the black slimy ooze, which is their happy 
hunting-ground. 
The C. lurida attains a length of an inch and a quarter. 
Found throughout New Zealand. Tauranga Harbour. 
COMINELLA MACULATA (cominella, dim. of comes, 
a companion; maculata, spotted)—A fairly solid, spotted 
spiral univalve with a broad shouldered body whorl, grey- 
ish or cream colour, dotted with chocolate or purplish-brown 
spots arranged in spiral bands round the whorls; light 
yellow to orange internally. It is fairly smooth, the whorls 
of the spire are sculptured with rounded ribs placed axi- 
ally. It attains a height of over two inches, and is found 
in harbours, on mud banks. 
Hauraki Gulf; Mount Maunganui; Auckland Har- 
bour; Wellington Harbour. 
COMINELLA MACULOSA (cominella, dim. of comes, 
a companion; maculosa, rather spotted., 1.¢., a degree less 
than maculata).—A very similar shell to that just described, 
but more slender, and graceful in form. The mouth is 
yellow and brown, the interior purplish and dark. The 
outer lip is smooth and sharp, sinuous or wavy in outline; 
the columella is yellow and brown, not unlike tortoise-shell. 
Found in harbours on mud banks, frequently in the 
vicinity of the C. maculata. 
From the Bay of Islands to Banks Peninsula; Mount 
Maunganui; Chatham Islands. 
COMINELLA NASSOIDES (cominella, dim, of comes, 
a companion; nassa, a fish or eel trap; ovdos, like ).—This 
species may be readily recognised as a cominella, by reason 
of its general shape, and the widely open and notched canal 
at the base of the shell. Its resemblance to basketwork is 
to be noted in the sculpturing of the numerous spiral and 
longitudinal ribs crossing each other at right angles. The 
axial ribs reach almost down to the base. Just below the 
65 
Plate IV 
No. 22 
Plate IV 
No. 24 
Plate 1V 
No. 23 
Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
