Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
Plate IX 
No. 2 
Plate IX 
No.1 
Plate IX 
No.3 
marked at the posterior end with a patch of purple, vary- 
ing in depth from very pale to very dark. It is a common 
shell, about two inches long. 
Throughout New Zealand. Mount Maunganui. 
VENERUPIS ELEGANS (Venerupis, Venus; rupis, a 
rock; elegans, elegant)—A somewhat long, narrow, yel- 
lowish or creamy-white bivalve with the beaks closely ap- 
proximated, and the sculpture consisting of very fine radi- 
ate striations and concentric, equally spaced lamellar ribs. 
The anterior is acutely rounded, the posterior broadly 
rounded. It should be remembered that the foot natural'v 
is protruded from the anterior end, or in the direction in 
which the animal moves, and the siphons are behind; so 
we may generally expect to find the fore end more pointed, 
the hindmost square, blunter or larger. These points will 
help us in determining right from left valves without any 
trouble. To return to the V. elegans, the beaks are situated 
at the anterior fourth or, in other words, at a point, one- 
quarter the length of the entire shell, starting from the 
front end. The margins are finely crenated, notched or 
toothed; the interior is white, with the posterior end 
purple. It is a borer in soft rock, and is about one and 
a-quarter inches in length. 
Found in the northern parts of New Zealand. Whanga- 
rei; Auckland Harbour. 
VENERUPIS REFLEXA (Venerupis, Venus; rupis, a 
rock; reflexa, reflected, bent back).—A small white bi- 
valve of irregular shape, having neither lunule nor es- 
cutcheon. The beaks are situated at about the anterior 
fourth; the posterior end truncated or cut off at an obtuse 
angle; the ventral margin rounded. The sculpture consists 
of concentric ribs folded, reflexed or bent over at the pos- 
terior end, with two or three smaller ribs in between. The 
posterior end is often marked with little brown splashes of 
colour. It is a trifle over an inch in length. 
Found in the North and South Islands. Auckland Har- 
bour; Mount Maunganui. 
VENERUPIS SILIQUA (Venus; rupis, a rock; siliqua, 
a pod).—A very similar shell to the foregoing, differing 
from it mostly in having a long, deep escutcheon on the 
left valve only. The sculpture consists of concentric ribs 
which are thinner and more plate-like than those on the 
V. reflexa. The ribs also anastomose or coalesce on account 
of being crowded together. The interior is similar in being 
yellowish white with a more or less dark purple patch at 
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