name is concerned, for it is not a true patella, but a crepi- 
dula. At the same time he was not justified in altering 
the second or specific name. To rectify matters and still 
pay due honour to Linné’s memory, while giving him 
proper credit for his work, scientists reverted naturally 
to the old original name, which consequently became Crepi- 
dula Crepidula. 
Found throughout New Zealand from low-water mark 
to about forty fathoms. Mount Maunganui. 
NATICA ZEALANDICA.—A highly-polished, smooth, 
yellowish or brown globular spiral univalve, with arrow- 
head markings of dark brown colour, arranged in spiral 
rows, the upper whorls of the spire having a bluish tint. 
It has a white porcellanous operculum of such size as to 
fit the aperture just within the outer lip. The shell is about 
an inch in diameter, and although found in great numbers 
washed up on sandy beaches, the animal and the operculum 
are very rarely met with. The spawn coils are curious 
objects, occasionally met with on sandy beaches; they 
are broad sandy straps standing on edge, coiled in a single 
turn with the ends slightly overlapping, but not united. 
The eggs are incorporated with sand, the whole cemented 
together with a substance secreted by glands in the repro- 
ductive organs of the animal. The small round holes, 
beautifully countersunk in the shells of so many small 
mollusca, are the work of the Natica; the animal is car- 
nivorous, and evidently goes to much labour to obtain its 
natural food. It is also blind, but does not appear to be 
specially handicapped in the struggle for existence, judging 
by the wonderful fecundity of the species. The common 
name for the Natica is the Necklace shell. 
Hauraki Gulf; Mount Maunganui; Stewart, Chatham 
and Great Barrier Island. 
POLINICES AMPHIALUS (Polynices, a son of Oedi- 
pus; amphialus, sea-girt)——A small spiral shell, globular 
in form, resembling in shape the Natica Zelandica, but only 
about a quarter of an inch in its largest diameter. The 
spire is small and very slightly elevated, the greater part 
of the shell being occupied by the body whorl. The sculp- 
ture is barely noticeable, there being merely a few growth 
lines to be seen. In colour it is of a trunslucent milky 
white, smooth and polished. The shell is unusually solid 
or thick for its size. 
Found at the Chatham Islands and Stewart Island. 
AMPULLINA UNDULATA (ampullina, dim. of am- 
puila, a globular flask; undulata, waved, wavy ).—This 
47 
Plate III 
No. 20 
Plate VII 
No. 21 
Plate VII 
No. 10 
Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
