treme low water and down to fifteen or more fathoms. 
Hauraki Gulf; Mount Maunganui; Foveaux Straits; 
Chatham Islands. 
SERPULORBIS SIPHO (serpo, to creep; orbis, a cir- 
cle; stpho, a small pipe).—A white, cream-coloured, or light 
brown calcareous tube, curled up, like a snake in repose, 
or disposed in more or less contorted coils. The shell is 
sculptured with longitudinal ribbing crossed by fine growth 
lines, the intersections resulting in a fine bead-like effect. 
Although, from the appearance of the shell, one might 
suppose it to be inhabited by a worm-like creature, the 
Serpulorbis sipho is a gasteropod animal, possessing a 
mantle and foot. The shell is adherent, and may be 
cemented to a dead shell or to a rock, or embedded in the 
roots of kelp. 
Found between tide marks to about twenty fathoms. 
North and South Islands. Mount Maunagnui; Chat- 
ham Islands. 
SILIQUARIA WELDIL (siliqua, a pod; Weld, a noted 
savant )—-Commonly known as a Worm shell, this creature 
is unique in possessing a tubular corkscrew-like shell, taper- 
ing to a fine point at the apex; the twist at the small end 
of the tube is more or less regular for about four turns, 
but towards the large end it is coiled loosely, eventually 
becoming straight, giving one the impression that the curl 
has come undone. Those of us who have not forgotten 
our Lewis Carroll may see in these quaint shells delightful 
reminders of the days when the “slithy toves” and the 
“mome raths” were very real playmates in the wonderful 
world of make-believe. 
The sculpture consists of growth lines round the shell, 
and there is a longitudinal slit, closed above, but open be- 
low. Found parasitic in sponges. A very fine specimen 
was given to me by my friend Mr. la Roche. It comprises 
upwards of fourteen individual shells visible on the out- 
side, closely packed together in a mass of sponge. The 
shells are so disposed that the twisted spirals all point in 
the same direction, forming the apex of a pyramid, the 
wide ends of the tube-like molluscs constituting the base. 
About two inches in length. 
Cape Colville, in twenty fathoms. Hauraki Gulf; Chat- 
ham Islands. 
TURRITELLA CARLOTTAE (turritella, dim. of tur- 
ris, a tower; Carlottae, of Charlotte)—A Screw shell, 
long, tapering, narrow, of a darkish-brown colour, and 
41 
Plate II 
No. 17 
Plate IT 
No. 19-19a. 
Plate VIII 
No. 26 
Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
