Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
Plate IV 
No. 15 
Plate VIII 
No, 9-9a, 
referred to in Moss’s book, is in the possession of Mrs, 
T. M. Humphreys, and is a very fine specimen. It con- 
tained the living fish when found, which accounts for its 
splendid condition. Moss calls it an Island shell, and ap- 
pears to claim a place for it in our native fauna. Although 
thoroughly authenticated, this species cannot be included 
among the New Zealand mollusca, for not a single speci- 
men, nor even a fragment of one, has since been discovered. 
When one considers the many ways in which the live eggs 
of shellfish may be transported for long distances at sea, 
it is not so much a matter of surprise that an essentially 
tropical creature should be found in these waters, but that 
similar occurrences should be of such rarity. 
Mrs. Humphreys kindly presented me with one of these 
specimens, and I am glad of the opportunity of including 
a description of this rare visitor to our shores, though I 
know most of my scientific friends still regard it as an 
alien and a vagrant. 
MUREX ZELANDICUS (murex, a pointed rock; 
Zelandicus, of N.Z.)—This is the well-known Spider 
shell, so called from its slender elongated spines bearing a 
fancied resemblance to the legs of a spider. It is a spiral 
univalve, varying in colour from a yellowish white to a 
light brown, and a trifle over two inches in length. The 
shell is rather thin, and is sculptured with six varices, bear- 
ing long semi-tubular spines, those on the shoulder of the 
body whorl being the longest. The aperture is pear-shaped, 
rounded above, and ending below in a rather long and open 
canal, recurved and bent to the right. The outer lip is 
angled above and ornamented with the hollow spines of the 
last varix. The inner lip is fairly thick, and below forms 
the sharp margin to the canal. Often found washed ashore 
on sandy beaches after a gale; and, although one may not 
infrequently pick up living specimens, the spines are gen- 
erally worn down by the action of the sand. The best are 
to be obtained only by dredging. 
Great Barrier Island; Hauraki Gulf; Mount Maunga- 
nui; Cook Strait. 
TROPHON AMBIGUUS (trophe, a turning; ambiguus, 
doubtful) —An uncommon univalve, with a turretted spire, 
large body whorl, and a narrow, prolonged base. It is of 
a greyish yellowish white, and the sculpturing consists of 
well-marked spiral ribs, two on each of the upper whorls; 
they are crossed at right angles by almost equally pro- 
nounced longitudinal ribs, forming little hollow squares, 
through which a small spiral thread runs. At the cross- 
ing of the longitudinal and the spiral ribs is a more or less 
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