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MARINE MOLLUSCA. 599Ifc has been noticed in other groups of animals that the specimens collected at theMaldives have a tendency to be smaller than those found upon the shores of the mainlandand Ceylon. This peculiarity also to a certain extent is noticeable among the Mollusca, or,at all events, the representatives of many species are small in comparison with the largerdimensions they often attain.No attempt has been made to give full synonymy or many references to illustrations,but it has been thought advisable, in each case, to quote a figure or a description, so asto show what species was really referred to. This is necessary in some instances where anauthor's species has been differently interpreted by his successors, as, for example, in thecase of Strombus auris-dianae of Linn^, where Reeve's and Deshayes' view of this speciesis quite the reverse of that held by Sowerby.In the account of the numerous species hereafter mentioned the localities where theywere obtained are referred to under numbers only which are explained in the following listof stations.I.