THE MONTHLY MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. AUGUST 1, 1872. 1.-Notes on Victorian Mollusca and their Palates. By CHARLES M. MAPLESTONE.* (Taken as read before the ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, June 5, 1872.) PLATES XXV., XXVI., AND XXVII. OCTOPOPIDE. Octopus, No. 18.-Not common; seems identical with Oct. vulgaris. Palate, formula, 3.1.3. The teeth do not agree with those drawn in Mr. Hogg's paper, M. M. J.,' March, 1868. The central tooth has two lateral denticles. 1st lateral is much smaller. The 3rd is not so large. The bases of the teeth are also different. SEPIADE. Sepia, No. 43.-Common. Shell and animal seem identical with Sepia officinalis. Palate, 3.1.3. The teeth are all very much alike. The 3rd lateral wants the expanded base which Mr. Hogg gives it, and in *The subjoined letter accompanied this paper: No. 4, JOSEPHINE TERRACE, ALBERT ST., EAST MELBOURNE, SIR,-Having made a collection of the palates of Mollusca while resident on the sea-side of our harbour, and having been in correspondence with Mr. S. J. McIntire on the subject, at his suggestion I beg to forward you by this mail (as a registered packet) drawings of the same, together with some notes on them, that may be of interest, and deemed suitable for the pages of the 'Monthly Microscopical Journal.' The drawings are a first attempt with a pen, and I trust they will be found capable of reproduction without much difficulty. I have made the notes as concise as possible, perhaps too much so, and have arranged them according to the Families, as far as I am able. I have throughout retained the numbers that I gave them in the order of collection, as my slides and shells are so numbered; but of course if they are inserted in the Journal it will be better to substitute those of the figures of the plates in the order in which they may appear. I will forward the shells to you, and will advise you of the means by which I do so before closing this, hoping you will be enabled to place them in the hands of some one who will be kind enough to name them correctly, and which names may I ask you to insert in their places, and to send me a list with my numbers added, so that I may with certainty know the proper names. Although I have not drawn the palates, I send also some fresh-water shells, of which No. 48 is one that I can find no genus in Woodward that I can include it VOL. VIII. E his figure the well-marked longitudinal muscular bands are not shown. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. MURICIDE. Triton (?), No. 35.-Long, mottled, spiral shell. Varices small, irregular. Hab., seaweed below low-water mark. Very rare; only found one or two specimens alive; dead shells common. Operculum horny. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed, denticulated with large central tooth. 1st lateral, with a slight spinous process above the tooth. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. Fasciolaria (monilia?), No. 11-Animal bright red in colour. Operculum horny, claw-shaped, but large enough to close aperture. Hab., below low-water mark. Scarce. Palate, 1.1.1. The median having three denticles, the bases of which are finely furrowed. Laterals 11 denticles. It is a remarkably clear and regular palate. BUCCINEADE. Nassa (?), No. 9.-This is the common dog whelk, occurring plentifully between tide marks, and is a voracious feeder on dead and living molluscs, crabs, &c. A perfectly-formed shell is rare, the apex appearing to suffer from abrasion. It is variously marked. Some are reticulated or chequered; in others the dark markings form lines, and occasionally all trace of marking is lost. Operculum horny, obovate apex at end. Palate, 1.1.1. Median, three denticles of equal length; laterals with basal tooth. Specimen in cabinet of R. M.S. Purpura, No. 17, probably P. textilosa.—Hab., near low water. in. It is a sinistral shell, and has longitudinal ridges. I trust I am not asking too much of you in this matter; my anxiety to place the palates, &c., before the readers of the Journal in as complete a form as possible must be my excuse. I enclose with the shells a small packet for Mr. McIntire, which please be kind enough to hand to him. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, CHAS. M. MAPLESTONE. WALTER W. REEVES, Esq., Assistant-Secretary, Mr. Henry Woodward has seen the shells, No. 48, and kindly written the following note about them. WALTER W. REEVES. BRITISH MUSEUM, July 5, 1872. DEAR SIR,—I have now the pleasure to return you the little shells. I only this very morning found leisure to compare them, having been very much pressed for time. They are the young of a fresh-water shell named Physa alicia, var. Lovell Reeve. In our case the adult attain to nearly four times the size. Yours very truly, HENRY Woodward. WALTER W. REEVES, Esq. Very rare where I made collection, but common in other places. Operculum lamellar, horny. Palate, 1.1.1. Lateral has no basal tooth. Median, three denticles, middle one longest. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. Purpura (?), No. 24.-Small whelk, purple inside. Hab., near low water on serpulæ-covered rocks. Common. Operculum clawshaped, horny. Palate, 1.1.1, very like that of Nassa, but much smaller. The denticles of the laterals are long and thin. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. Purpura (?), No. 39.-Brown whelk, similar in shape to the last, but the mouth was thin and semitransparent. Shell covered with a dark brown epidermis, which was produced into irregular longitudinal short fringes. The palate is different from Buccineada. I have no specimen of shell. The only one I met with was transmitted to the late Mr. Hall; it may probably belong to Muricidæ. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed, denticulated. 1st and 2nd laterals slightly denticulated. 3rd smooth. Purpura (?), No. 45.-Shell transversely ribbed; inner lip callous, extends over large portion of whorl; outer lip thickened. Possibly Nassa thersites. Hab., low water. Specimens were found in enclosure for graving dock. Palate, 1.1.1. Central tooth lunate, with numerous round pointed denticulations. Lateral teeth with a basal tooth and small flat processes on inner side. CONIDE. Conus, No. 40 (C. punctatus ?).-Shell with thick dark-brown epidermis. Marked with irregular brown spots. Column plicated at lower portion. Animal pink, with black eyes. Hab., near low water. Only found on two occasions. First a single specimen, from which I failed to obtain the palate. Second, when there was an extra low tide and calm weather, when I obtained several. Palate, 1.1. Teeth long, serrated near tips. Bases orbicular, very difficult of dissection. NATICIDE. Natica, No. 46.-Hab., sand near cockle bed between tide marks. Very rare. Operculum large, paucispiral, horny; jaws spiny; very large mouth; short foot. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed; three denticulations. 1st and 2nd laterals, claw-shaped, bifid. 3rd lateral simple. Note.-On drawing this shell in my diary I find there is another (probably a Naticina) that I had erroneously considered but a variety of this. Natica (?), No. 26.-Small striped marine snail. Abundant. Hab., sand near high-water mark. Has very large mouth; apparently feeds on animal matter contained in the sand, which abounds with live foraminifera, as I found the intestines full of it. Operculum horny, subspiral; shell snail-shaped, one or two dark brown stripes. Palate consisting of rows of simple sickle-shaped teeth, altogether different from any marine form I have seen. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S.. CERITHIADE. Cerithium, No. 7.-Hab., sand, generally partially imbedded, between tide marks, nearer high than low water. Rare. Operculum horny, multispiral. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed; central denticulation much the longest. 1st lateral with slightly rounded claw, edges partially reflexed and finely denticulated; 2nd and 3rd, edges reflexed, denticulated. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. Cerithium (?), No. 10.-Shell granulated. Hab., stream on sand, nearer high-water mark than low. Operculum horny, multispiral. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed. Five denticulations, central longest; base articulated. Laterals, edges reflexed, denticulated. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. TURRITELLIDE. Turritella (?), No. 41.-This is smaller than the last described. It has not a canal; peristome entire, longitudinally furrowed. Hab., sand between tide marks. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed; three denticulations, not articulated. Laterals reflexed, denticulated. Vermetus, No. 22.-Only found one specimen, in the root of a large mass of kelp, but have lost it, so cannot describe it at all. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed, denticulated, central one very long. 1st lateral, long tooth at end, lower edge denticulated. 2nd lateral tooth-shaped, slightly denticulated. 3rd similar, but not denticulated. LITTORINIDE. Littorina, No. 52.-Shell smooth, generally corroded; lip slightly everted. Hab., between tide marks at Schnapper Point; operculum horny, paucispiral. Palate, 3.1.3. Median reflexed, central denticulation truncated. 1st and 2nd laterals, upper edges reflexed and denticulated; 3rd has much longer comb-like denticulations. Risella, No. 4.-Shell with irregular keels more or less developed. Hab., between tide marks, nearer high than low water. This is the common dog periwinkle, so called from not being edible it is carnivorous. Operculum paucispiral. Palate, 3.1.3, very long. Median reflexed, with broad, central denticulations. Laterals reflexed. Specimen in cabinet of R. M. S. |