Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
Plate VI 
No. 17 
Plate VI 
No. 18 
whorls of the spire are sculptured with a number of 
aaa vertical ribs, the remainder of the shell being spirally 
striated, the most noticeable striations being on the base, 
The mouth is oval, often channelled above, and ends below 
in a short, open canal, curved to the left and distinctly 
notched at the base. , 
The largest E. vittata, obtained at Mount Maunganui, 
on Stony beacon, are 25 millimetres (one inch) in height, 
and are either lacking in the purple bands or have them 
indicated only by the very faintest of shadows. The typi- 
cal parti-coloured specimens are mostly under 20 milli- 
metres. All the shells examined were taken from the rocks 
alive, and were not beach-worn individuals. As the plain 
variety is always more solidly built, with well-marked teeth 
bordering the inner margin of the outer lip, and a strong 
plait on the upper part of the inner lip, features mostly 
wanting in the striped kind, it would appear that the plain 
shelled specimens are decidedly the more robust of the 
two. 
The Euthria vittata is found at the Bay of Islands; 
Hauraki Gulf; and the Chatham Islands. 
COMINELLA HUTTONI (cominella, dim. of comes, a 
companion ; Hutton, the conchologist)—A small pale brown 
or whitish spiral univalve, spotted with reddish brown, the 
colouring being either marbled or having the appearance of 
woven basket work, when the colour is disposed in straight 
ribbons, spirally and more or less interruptedly, round the 
whorls. The ribs on the spire extend from suture to suture, 
and on the body whorl from the suture to more than half- 
way down to the base. This arrangement gives an impres- 
sion of the shell being much more ribbed than any of the 
other Cominellas. It is also more slender than the C. lurida, 
which it resembles most in shape. Rather less than one 
inch in height. 
Found from Cape Maria van Diemen to the East Cape. 
Mount Maunganui. 
COMINELLA LURIDA (cominella, dim. of comes, a 
companion; lurida, purple)—This spiral univalve, which 
is to be seen in great numbers on mud flats when the tide 
is Out, is seldom to be met with, except in a dirty and dis- 
reputable condition. The colour varies considerably, the 
spire being dark, almost black, and the lowest whorls whit- 
ish grey, a yellowish white above, with two narrow lines of 
brown spirals, then a broad dark brown, brownish purple 
or purplish band round the centre, with half a dozen or so 
fine yellowish-brown lines below. The interior is purple. 
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