PURPURA HAUSTRUM (Plate II.).—Fig 11 (late Polytropa haustrum) is a brown shell, with a greyish or yellow interior. It is found in great numbers on rocks in all parts of New Zealand. Sometimes it is over three inches in length. The animal equals the Cominella in voracity. The Maori name is Kakare, or Kaeo, both of which names are also given to the Astralium sulcatum (Plate VI., Fig. 18).
SCAPHELLA PACIFICA (Plate II.).—Fig. 12 (late Voluta pacifica) is a yellow or chestnut-coloured shell, with dark markings, and is sometimes nine inches in length. It is found in large numbers washed up on the beaches in both Islands after gales, and varies so much in colour, markings, and shape that a good pair is seldom procurable. Sometimes even the nodules, or lumps, shown in the plate, are wanting, and sometimes the markings are wanting. It was until lately known as the Voluta pacifica, being one of the well-known Volute family. It lives in the sand on exposed beaches. The Maori name is Pupurore, which name is also used for the Ancilla australis (Plate II., Fig. 7).
SCAPHELLA GRACILIS (Plate II.).—Fig. 13 (late Voluta gracilis), besides being smaller and narrower than the Scaphella pacifica, is distinguished by the markings, which in the latter appear to form bands, while in the former they do not. With such a variable shell, however, it is difficult to distinguish the one from the other.
MITRA MELANIANA (Plate II.).—Fig. 14 is a dark chocolate-coloured mitre-shaped shell. Being smooth and of the same colour, both internally and externally, it cannot be mistaken. About a score of dead ones, varying from one and a-half to two inches in length, have been found by my friends and myself on the ocean beaches near the entrance to Tauranga Harbour, and at Maketu, in the Bay of Plenty. This is a particularly interesting discovery, as the Mitre shells (so called from their shape resembling that of a bishop's mitre) hitherto found out of the tropics were minute. We have one other Mitre shell, which is pink or brownish, and under one-third of an inch long.
Plate III. represents two of our largest and most handsome shells. DOLIUM VARIEGATUM, the upper figure (from Latin dolium—a jar with a wide mouth) is a yellowish brown shell, with dark brown spots, and exceeds six inches in length. Being fragile, and having a very wide mouth, perfect specimens are rare, although numbers of broken shells are from time to time washed up on the ocean beaches in the Province of Auckland. It lives in sand, but sometimes may be found crawling amongst rocks. It has no operculum. The Australian specimens are more handsome than the New Zealand ones. The Maori name is Pupuwaitai.
LOTORIUM RUBICUNDUM.—The lower figure, until lately known as the Triton nodiferus, from the old legend that it was the shell on which Triton blew at the bidding of Neptune to calm or rouse the waves, is a heavy, solid shell, varying a great deal in shape and colour; but usually brownish pink, variegated with dark brown. No difficulty will be found in identifying it. The specimens from Australia have more pink and less brown, and are not quite as fine as those of New Zealand. It is found on rocks and grassy banks in the North Island, but from being sluggish in its habits the point of the spire in large shells is usually worm-eaten, and good specimens over six inches long are seldom seen. The Lotorium tritonis, the largest univalve in the world, is similar to the Lotorium rubicundum, but not quite as solid or heavy. It has occasionally been found in the Northern part of New Zealand. The Maoris used it as a trumpet, fastening a mouth-piece to the spire. The Polynesian specimens of the Lotorium tritonis attain a length of nearly three feet, but nine or ten inches is the extreme length of our specimens. The Maori name is Pupukakara, or Putara.
SIPHONALIA DILATATA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 1 has a pale yellow or greenish interior, the outside being reddish brown. Common on sandy, exposed beaches, and is sometimes over five inches long. The Maori name is Onare roa.
SIPHONALIA MANDARINA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 2 grows to the same length as the Dilatata; but is a narrower and more graceful shell. The interior is usually greenish. Found in the same localities as the Siphonalia dilatata.
SIPHONALIA NODOSA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 3 is a pretty shell, sometimes 2-1/2 inches long. The interior is whitish, and the exterior the same colour, with purple and white markings. It is common on ocean beaches and sand banks in harbours.
STRUTHIOLARIA PAPULOSA (Plate IV.).—Fig. 4 is a handsome yellowish shell, with brown or purplish stripes. The interior is purple. The nodules on the whorls are very prominent. This shell is sometimes four inches long, and the lip, when the shell has attained full size, is remarkably strong and solid, forming a shell ring. From this it is known as the ring shell. In some places the lips, bleached to a perfect whiteness, come ashore in great numbers, the more delicate body of the shell having been broken to pieces among the rocks. These rings are sometimes seen strung together as ornaments. The lip does not form till the shell has attained its full growth, and though the shell is fairly common in the North Island, it is rare in the South. It is edible, and much esteemed by some people. The Maori name is Kaikai karoro, which is also the name for the Chione costata (Plate VIII., Fig. 26), and the Mactra æquilatera (Plate VIII., Fig 10). It is also called Tote rere.