when the nulliporites can be gently removed with a needle. 
Bleached and dead shells picked up on the beach are of a 
bright orange chestnut colour, but, of course, they are not 
desirable specimens for the cabinet. It: is about an inch 
and a half long, and is found at Cape Maria van Dieman, 
Bay of Islands, Mount Maunganui, Island Bay, Lyall Bay, 
Cook Strait, Nelson. 
HALIOTIS IRIS (halios, marine; otus, the ear; iris, 
a rainbow).—This species is mostly known by its Maori 
name—Pawa,—but it is also called the Sea Ear, the Mutton 
Fish, and Venus’ Looking Glass. The H. iris is the largest 
of the New Zealand family, and may be distinguished by 
its peristome, or border of the mouth, being continuous, 
and not winding its way into the interior of the shell, as 
in the other species. The sculpture is generally obliterated, 
being worn down by the attrition caused by moving sand, 
or it is covered by incrustations, barnacles, limpets, etc. 
The internal colouring is usually of a metallic blue and 
green, highly iridescent, with some red, purple and yellow, 
the first two predominating. It is well to collect a series 
of these singularly beautiful shells, for not only do they 
make a very handsome display when a good number are 
grouped together and carefully graded, but there is a not- 
able variation of colour incidental to every age. The 
smallest of all, half an inch long, are quite transparent, 
perfectly sculptured, so thin that they will bear only the most 
gentle handling, while the faint iridescence gives but little 
promise of the glories of the maturer shell. Valves of an 
inch in length show the sculpturing and general form to 
the best advantage, as there is little or no extraneous 
growth on the exterior. The interior is brilliant with deep 
rose and green. When two or three inches in length, the 
Pawa is, if anything, slightly paler inside, but very iride- 
scent; rose pink and gold are the prevailing hues, with 
golden green and a suggestion of sky blue, the margin ex- 
hibiting a narrow edging of opaque slate blue. The adult 
shell is Prussian blue and bright green, with a metallic 
lustre ; the red appears to have vanished, or may, as in one 
specimen I have, blend with blue to make an intense violet. 
This is, however, an exception, and generally the shell 
settles down literally to a green old age. The brightest 
of the rosy shells were prized by the Maori of the olden 
days. They were specially chosen to give a fierce expres- 
sion, or a baleful glare, to the eyes of his carved wooden 
figures, and were known as Mura-ahi, meaning “a blaze 
of fire.” The green variety was more suitable for fishing 
spinners, the lures that prove so deadly to the sporting 
19 
Plate II 
No. 20 
Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
