Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

114 COLLECTIONS FROM MELANESIA.GO.Spondylus multisetosus.Reeve, Conch. Icon, fig. 11.Hah.Philippine Islands {Cuming); AVarrior lleef, Torres Straits(^Coppiwjer).The principal ridges which support the largest spines are abouttwelve in number on the upper valve, pale or yellowish between thespines, at the base of which they are stained with a dark sanguineouscolour. The interior of the valves is margined with purplishbrown, and the straight hinge-line is fiuely striated withintransversely ; the flat hinge-area of the lower valve is also fiuelystriated across.70. Spondylus victoriae.Sowerbif, Proc. Zool Soc. 1859, p. 428, pi. 49. fig. 8.Var. = Spondylus wrightianus, Crosse, Journ. de Conck.1872, vol.xx.p. 360, vol. xxi. p. 253, pi. 9. figs. 1, la.Mab. New Caledonia {Mas. Cuming) ; Flinders and Clairmont,Islands N.E. Australia, 11 fms., sand and mud bottom, and PortMoUe, 10 fms. {Copphiger); Nichol Eay, Australia {Crosse fideWright).The description of this species given by Sowerby is very insufficient,and his locality, " Gulf of California," incorrect. He describesthe number of largecostfe as four ; but as a rule there are five, whicheven appear in his own figure.In the lower or attached valve the number of large spine-bearingridges in the three specimens before me is seven ; these spines aregenerally straighter than those on the upper valve, and channelledon the uppersidc. Sowcrby's figure exaggerates the wavy characterand breadth of the upper spines.The surface of the valves and the hinge-area agree with Crosse'sdescription of the variety ivrightlanas, which has the spines on theupper valve straighter, and less spreading at the extremities. Thesingle specimen dredged by Dr. Coppinger has the spines of a pinkishbuffcolour, whilst those in the type are pure white.71. Pecten leopardus.Reeve, Conch. Icon. fig. 145.Var. = Pecten kuhnholtzi, Bcrnardi, Journ. de Conch. 1863, vol. viii.p. 378, pi. 13. fig. 1.Var. = Pecten Solaris, Soicerhy {non Born), Thes. Conch, pi. 12. fig. 22 ;Dunkerin Philippi''s Abbild. vol. i. pL 2. fig. 2; Reeve, Conch. Icon.fig. 92.llab. Moreton Bay, Queensland {Reeve) ; Arafura Sea, DundasStrait {Coppinger) ; New Caledonia {Bernardi) ; Amhoina. {Danker,for var. Solaris).It is not surprising that M. Bcrnardi did not recognize his shellin F. leopardas, considering how inadequate a description is givenby Ileeve. I have carefully compared red-rayed specimens from