Page:Beautiful·Shells·of·New·Zealand-Moss-1908.pdf/30

 cockle banks and amongst rocks, especially those where sand is mixed with mud. The name Testudinea, from Latin testudo, a tortoise, is an appropriate one, as when held up to the light this Cominella looks like tortoise-shell.

COMINELLA VIRGATA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 13 is a greyish-brown shell, the raised lines, or ridges, that cross it being almost black. I have rarely found it, except amongst rocks in the harbours. It is much narrower than the Cominella testudinea, and not quite as long. The best way to obtain good specimens of these two Cominella is to break limpets, or others shellfish, and throw them into shallow water, close to rocks. In a few minutes, on revisiting the baits, the best specimens can be selected for the cabinet.

COMINELLA NASSOIDES (Plate IV.).—Fig. 14 is a pinkish-yellow shell, with very pronounced ridges on the exterior. The interior is brownish. So far, I have heard of its being found only in the South Island and the Chathams.

LOTORIUM OLEARIUM (Plate V.).—Fig. 1 (late Triton olearium) is a mottled brown and white shell, similar in its habits to the Lotorium rubicundum (Plate III.), but usually found on grassy banks in harbours at or below low water mark. The second figure on the plate is a good specimen of this shell, with its epidermis untouched, while the first figure has had the epidermis removed. To such shells as this and the Solenomya parkinsoni (Plate IX., Fig. 18) the epidermis adds an additional beauty, and to preserve it I have used a preparation of glycerine and chloride of calcium, being careful to put it on before the epidermis has time to dry or crack.

APOLLO ARGUS (Plate V.).—Fig. 2 (late Ranella argus) is a white or light grey shell, covered with a thin chestnut-brown epidermis. The lines that show so distinctly on the figure are dark chestnut. It is found on ocean beaches in both Islands, and attains a length of four inches.

APOLLO AUSTRALASIA (Plate V.).—Fig. 3 (late Ranella leucostoma) is a reddish-brown shell, covered with a fine hairy epidermis. The interior is purple. It is found amongst rocks in the open sea around the North Island. The edge of the lip is very deeply grooved. It attains a length of 4 inches.

LOTORIUM SPENGLERI (Plate V.).—Fig. 4 (late Triton spengleri) is a yellowish-white shell, covered with a pale brown transparent epidermis. The lines shown on the plate mark