Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
Plate VII 
No. 6 
Plate VII 
No.2 
in the long axis of the shell, while the upper whorls are 
of a reddish, or brick red, or brownish red colour, with 
darker colour markings; the topmost whorls being gener- 
ally eroded, show their green pearly nature, The mouth is 
comparatively large, has a thin outer lip with a ring of 
white callus just inside. The interior is brilliantly irjdes- 
cent, red and green predominating. This shell may be 
treated with dilute hydrochloric acid until the coloured coat 
is entirely removed, leaving a lovely green and blue irj- 
descent surface, the body whorl being paler with a pinkish 
golden lustre. It attains a height of one and three-quarter 
inches. Found on seaweed. 
From the Kermadecs to the Chathams. Mount Maunga- 
nui. 
CANTHARIDUS PUPILLUS (kantharis, an iridescent 
beetle; pupillus, dim. of pupa, a chrysalis ).—A small, some- 
what depressed conical spiral univalve, with flat and broad 
spiral ribs, having deep grooves between them. The whorls 
are convex in outline. “Ash-coloured or white with broad 
red spots on the upper whorls and below the suture on 
the last whorl, the remainder being adorned with blood- 
red dots.” (Suter). “Ash-coloured with dark greenish 
on the ribs.” (Gould). The outer lip is thick, with a 
white callus inside. About five-sixteenths of an inch in 
height. There is a minute umbilicus present. One of the 
main features of this species, by which it may be dis- 
tinguished from the C. sanguineus, independent of the col- 
our, 1s that in the former case the shell is what is described 
as “depressed and conical,” while in the latter it is “ele- 
vated and conical.” Taking a specimen of each kind, each 
seven millimetres in diameter, the C. pupillus will be eight 
millimetres in height, whereas the C. sanguineus will be 
nine millimetres. Now, this at first sight does not appear 
to be a very striking difference, but if one considers that 
the proportion is exactly the same as between a man of 
five feet four inches in height and another of six feet, the 
contrast will at once be apparent. As a mnemonic or arti- 
ficial aid to memory, we may bear in mind that the 
“sanguine” temperament has a far greater inclination to 
“elevation” of spirits than to depression, and thus the 
chance of confusing these two species is reduced to a 
minimum. 
The C. pupillus is found at Russell; Hauraki Gulf; 
Manukau Heads; East Cape; Mount Maunganui; Lyall 
Bay, Lyttelton. 
CANTHARIDUS PURPURATUS (kantharis, an iri- 
descent beetle ; purpuratus, of a purple colour).—A pointed 
28 
