TELLINA GLABRELLA (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 19 is a smooth white, or pale yellow, shell, 3 inches in length, with a thin brown epidermis on the outer edge. The interior is chalky white. It is found on ocean beaches, but is also common on cockle banks in harbours. It lives some inches below the surface. Dead shells are found in considerable numbers, but the live ones are rare. The Maoris call this shell Hohehohe or Ku waru or Peraro. The name Hohehohe is also given to the Panopea (Plate VIII., Fig. 3).
TELLINA DISCULUS (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 20 is a clean smooth yellowish-white shell, with a bright yellow centre, the interior being the same colour as the exterior. Its length is 1-1/2 inches, and it is found only in the North Island.
TELLINA ALBA (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 21 is a very thin, flat, nearly transparent, glistening white shell, the interior being the same colour. Its length is 2-1/2 inches, and it is found on sandy ocean beaches in both Islands. The native name for this shell is Hohehohe, which name is also used for the Tellina glabrella.
TELLINA STRANGEI (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 22 (late Tellina subovata) is a whitish shell, similar to the Tellina alba, but more globose. It is under an inch long.
MESODESMA VENTRICOSA (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 23 (late Paphia ventricosa) is an opaque white, solid, smooth shell, found in the North Island, especially on the ocean beach near Kaipara. It is one of the many useful food molluscs we have. In the Kaipara district the natives take horses and ploughs on to the beach, and plough up the Mesodesma ventricosa like potatoes. Under the native name of Toheroa, a factory at Dargaville preserves these bivalves in tins. The specimen photographed was only a half-grown shell. In the Bay of Plenty I have found this shell seven inches long and extremely solid and heavy, and I am inclined to think from the shape and structure of the valve that the Bay of Plenty Mesodesma is different from the Ventricosa; but I never secured a live one while in Tauranga.
MESODESMA NOVÆ-ZELANDIÆ (Plate VIII.)—Fig. 25 (late Paphia novæ-zelandiæ) is the common oval Pipi, or Kokota, of the Maoris. This whitish shell, covered with a thin, horny epidermis, is sometimes 2-1/2 inches long. It is found in both the North and South Islands on sandy banks in harbours and in tidal rivers.
ATACTODEA SUBTRIANGULATA (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 24 (late Paphia spissa) is a white shell, found in considerable quantities on sandy ocean beaches at half-tide mark. When the tide is flowing it is a very common sight to see great numbers of these bivalves washed up by the surf from their beds, and it is very interesting to watch the speed with which they can bury themselves again. They attain a length of about two inches, and are known to the Maoris as Tuatua or Kahitua.
CHIONE COSTATA (Plate VIII.).—Fig 26 (late Venus costata) is a strong, solid white shell, with thick radiating ribs. The only live ones I have found were either washed up on ocean beaches, or inside schnappers. This fish appears very fond of the Chione costata, and swallows it without attempting to crack the shell. It attains a length of about two inches, and the Maoris call it Kaikai karoro, which name is also given to the Struthiolaria papulosa (Plate IV.) and the Mactra æquilatera (Plate VIII.).
CHIONE STUTCHBURYI (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 27 (late Venus stutchburyii) is the common round cockle, found in both North and South Islands. Although when found on clean sandy banks it is usually reddish-brown on the outside and bluish-white inside, it varies in colour if the sand contains an appreciable quantity of mud. It is called Anga or Huai or Pipi by the Maoris, and attains a length of two inches.
CHIONE OBLONGA (Plate VIII.).—Fig. 28 (late Venus oblonga) is a brown or brownish-white shell, with a white interior, and is rather larger and more solid than the Stutchburyii, besides being more oval.