Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume II Part 43

Corallina cylindrica, Soland. and Ellis, 114.

Icon. Soland. and Ellis, t. 22. f. 4.

21. Spongia muricina (?) Lam. Hist. 2 369. Number 74.

Icon. Seba. Mus. 3 t. 97. f. 2.

22. Spongia perfoliata, Lam. Hist. 2 370. Number 78.

Icon. --

23. Spongia basta, Pallas. Zooph. 379. Lam. Hist. 2 371. Number 82.

Icon. -- Esper. 2 t. 25.

24. Spongia alcicornis, Esper. Lam. Hist. 2 380. Number l26.

Icon. -- Esper. 2 page 248. t. 28.

25. Spongia spiculifera ? Lam. Hist. 2 376. Number 106.

Icon. --

Three or four other species of Spongia were brought home, which I have not been able to identify with all of Lamarck's descriptions, or with any figures; but as this author has described many species from the collection of Peron and Lesueur, which have not hitherto been figured, I have not considered them as new, until I have had an opportunity of examining more New Holland species, and of seeing those described by Lamarck.

MOLLUSCA.

BY JOHN EDWARD GRAY, ESQUIRE, F.G.S.

1. CONCHOPHORA.

1. Solenomya australis.

Solemya Australis, Lam. Hist. 5 489.

Mya marginipectinata, Peron and Lesueur.

2. Mactra abbreviata ? Lam. Hist. 5 477. n. 20.

Icon. --

This collection contains a considerable number of specimens of a sh.e.l.l agreeing with the short specific character given by Lamarck of the above; but as it has not been figured, I have referred to it with a mark of doubt. The sh.e.l.ls are rather solid, white, or white variegated with purple, with numerous concentric wrinkles, which are more distinct nearer the margin; the umbones, covered with a thin pale periostraca, nearly smooth and polished, with a small purple spot, the inside white, with the disk and posterior slope purple; the anterior and posterior slopes distinct, the lunule and escutcheon deeply and distinctly sulcated; length fourteen-tenths of an inch; height one inch.

3. Mactra ovalina, Lam. Hist. 5 477.

This sh.e.l.l is nearly of the same shape as the last, but the anterior slope is rounded and circ.u.mscribed, and the posterior only marked by a raised line in the periostraca. The sh.e.l.l is thin, white; with a pale brown and deeply grooved escutcheon.

4. Solen truncatus, Wood. Conch.

Solen ceylonensis, Leach, Zool. Misc. 1 22. table 7.

Solen v.a.g.i.n.a, b. Lam. Hist. 5 451.

Icon. Wood. Conch. t. 26. f. 3. 4. Ency. Method. t. 222. f. 1.

5. Cardium tenuicostatum, Lam. Hist. 6 5.

Icon. --

The sh.e.l.l when perfect is white, with rose-coloured umbones; the rose colour is often extended down the centre of the sh.e.l.l, forming concentric zones.

6. Lucina divaricata, Lam. Hist. 5 541.

Tellina divaricata, Gmel. Sys. Nat. 1 3241.

Icon. Chemn. Conch. 6 134. t. 13. f. 129.

7. Venerupis galact.i.tes, n.o.b.

Venus galact.i.tes, Lam. Hist. 5 599.

Icon. --

The fact of Lamarck having placed in the genus Venus this sh.e.l.l, which a modern conchologist has considered as a variety of Venerupis perforans, shows the very great affinity that exists between those genera.

8. Venus flammiculata ? Lam. Hist. 5 605.

Icon. --

This sh.e.l.l is pale yellowish, with irregular, large, distinct, concentric ridges, and distinctly radiated striae; the umbones smooth, polished, orange-yellow; the lozenge lanceolate, purple; the inside golden-yellow; the anterior and posterior dorsal margins purple.

9. Venus tessellata (n.s.) Testa ovato-oblonga, albida, lineis purpureis angulatis picta; sulcis concentricis, ad latus posteriorem lamellatis; marginibus integerrimis.

Icon. --

Sh.e.l.l ovate-oblong, white, polished, with rows of square purple spots, forming regular lines, with the points directed toward the back of the sh.e.l.l; covered with many distinct, nearly equal, concentric, smooth ridges; the front part of the ridges somewhat elevated, thin, hinder part distinctly lamellar and much elevated: the lunule subulate, lanceolate; the edge quite entire; umbones with a purple spot; inside white, except on the anterior and posterior dorsal edges, which are purple; length eight-tenths, height six-tenths of an inch.

There are two other specimens of this sh.e.l.l in the Museum which do not agree with any that Lamarck describes; one of these being fourteen-tenths of an inch long, and one inch high, is double the size of Captain King's specimen; its habitation is not marked, but the other specimen is from Ceylon.

10. Cytherea kingii (n.s.) Testa ovato-cordata, tumida, albida, concentrice substriata, radiata, radiis flavicantibus; lunula lanceolato-cordata; intus albida.

Sh.e.l.l ovate, heart-shaped, white or pale brown, with darker brown rays, each formed of several narrow lines, the umbones white, the edge quite entire; the lunule lanceolate heart-shaped, obscurely defined, the centre rather prominent; inside white, the hinge margin rather broad.

This sh.e.l.l is very like Cytherea loeta, but differs from it in its markings, as well as its outline, which is more orbicular. The specimen given to the Museum by Captain King, is one inch long, and eight-tenths of an inch high; but there is another specimen in the collection, from the Tankerville cabinet (Number 288) which is twice that size.

11. Cytherea gibba.

Cytherea gibbia, Lam. Hist. 5 577.

Icon. Chemn. 7 t. 39. f. 415. 416.

12. Petricola rubra ? Cardium rubrum ? Montague.

This sh.e.l.l agrees in general form, teeth, and colour, with the Cardium rubrum of Montagu, but it is larger. It was found imbedded in the seaweed and spongy-like substance that covers the Tridacna squamosa.

13. Chama limbula, Lam. Hist. 6 95.

This sh.e.l.l may, perhaps, be a variety of Chama gryphoides.

14. Tridacna gigas, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1. 105.

Chama Gigas, Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1 3299.

Icon. Chemn. 7 t. 49. f. 495. Ency. Meth. plate 235. f. 1.

15. Pectunculus radians ? Lam. Hist. 6 54.

16. Arca scapha, Lam. Hist. 6 42.

Icon. Chemn. 7 201. t. 55. f. 548. Ency. Meth. plate 306. f. 1. a, b.