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All these shells now live on this coast, and most of them in this same bay. I was also struck with the fact, that the proportional numbers of the different kinds appeared to be the same with those now cast up on the beach: in both cases specimens of Voluta, Crepidula, Venus, and Trochus are the most abundant.
Hence it is remarkable that four or five of the fossil shells from Navidad, namely, Voluta alta, Turritella Patagonica, Trochus collaris, Venus meridionalis, perhaps Natica solida, and perhaps the large oyster from Coquimbo, are considered by Mr. Sowerby as identical with species from Santa Cruz and P. Desire. M. d'Orbigny, however, admits the perfect identity only of the Trochus.
Voluta triplicata, G.B. Sowerby. 5. Oliva dimidiata, G.B. Sowerby. 6. Pleurotoma discors, G.B. Sowerby. 7. Pleurotoma turbinelloides, G.B. Sowerby. 8. Fusus subreflexus, G.B. Sowerby. 9. Fusus pyruliformis, G.B. Sowerby. 10. Turritella suturalis, G.B. Sowerby. 12. Trochus laevis, G.B. Sowerby. 14. Cassis monilifer, G.B. Sowerby. 16. Pyrula distans, G.B. Sowerby. 17.
Cuming, before our voyage, procured here ninety species of sea-shells, and this does not include several species not yet specifically examined, of Trochus, Turbo, Monodonta, and Nassa.
A New Rissoa was found under stones at Night Island. Turbo squamosus and Trochus lentiginosus are inhabitants of the shore at Port Essington. In Broken Bay species of Bankivia and Scalaria were collected, cast dead on the shore.
Let it be borne in mind that 'Avicula', 'Mytalis', 'Chiton', 'Natica', 'Patella', 'Trochus', 'Discina', 'Orbicula', 'Lingula', 'Rhynchonella', and 'Nautilus', all of which are existing 'genera', are given without a doubt as Silurian in the last edition of 'Siluria'; while the highest forms of the highest Cephalopods are represented in the Lias by a genus, 'Belemnoteuthis', which presents the closest relation to the existing 'Loligo'.
Thus, there are two species of Cypraea, one of Oliva, two of Mitra, four of the genus Cerithium, six of Fusus, two of Trochus, one of Patella, one of Emarginula, etc.; on the whole, more than thirty univalves, spiral or patelliform. At the same time, some of the accompanying bivalve shells, echinoderms, and zoophytes, are specifically identical with fossils of the true Cretaceous series.
The shell of the Nautilus being exceedingly thin and fragile, the tenant has many enemies, and among others the Trochus who makes war on it with unrelenting fury. Pursued by this cruel foe, it ascends to the top of the water, spreads its little sail to catch the flying breeze, and rowing with all its might, scuds along, like a galley in miniature, and often escapes its more cumbrous pursuer.
Of all Australian Helices, this is perhaps the most curious. Its outline and aspect are singularly like those of a Trochus of the Ziziphinus group. The colour is also very singular, being a yellowish flesh hue deepening on the base to rich brownish-yellow, and speckled irregularly with minute black dots which are areolated with white, the white ring being largest on the side towards the mouth.
On another hill, some miles distant, and 648 feet high, I found shells of the Concholepas and Trochus, perfect, though very old, with fragments of Mytilus Chiloensis, all embedded in reddish-brown mould: I also found these same species, with fragments of an Echinus and of Balanus psittacus, on a hill 1,000 feet high.
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