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Cowrie
The following day several collecting stations were made on the main island of the atoll, both on the ocean reef as well as on
the lagoon side and in one of the shallow passes, where Tridacna maxima Röding was common. Very abundant on one of the lagoon
beaches were dead but perfect pairs of Asaphis deflorata L. That morning we had a visit from the chief of the village, who
had been on the neighboring atoll of Hao and who invited us to the village that evening. After supper we all went ashore, and
in the schoolhouse with an audience of only seven adults and two children, we were received officially and welcomed by the
chief, whose remarks were translated into French by the school teacher. All of us received the customary shell necklaces.
Afterwards we invited the chief, his wife, and a few others to a small party on board the "Maylis."
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On the rocks in Bounty Bay we found Nerita (Melanerita) morio Sby., for which Pitcairn is one of the type localities and
which is distinct from the superficially similar black Nerite found on the rocks in Tahiti. The common limpet found there,
however, is probably identical with Cellana tahitensis Pease. Drupa ricinus L. is on these rocks also. Several species of
Planaxis were found under the loose stones, including the endemic Planaxis pigra Forbes. On the marine terrace Cypraea
caputserpentis was gathered. In the debris line on the other side of the island, at "The Rope," Mike Hall found worn
specimens of what seems to be the distantly lirate form of Turbo argyrostomus L. and a form of Conus miliaris Hwass (or a
distinct related species) identical to that found on Easter Island. All in all, the molluscan fauna of Pitcairn impressed me
as a depauperate Polynesian one with a distinct endemic element that allies it with Easter Island.
In our three months of wandering along this coast I found alive only (1) Cypraea helvola, and (1) Epitonium coronatum,
several dozen of the common Nerita (3 varieties), several small Turbo coronatus, several Trochus nigropunctatus, (1) Conus
minimus, several Barbatia alfredinus, several dozen Kroussina rubra and dozens of Janthina. Not a great many mollusks for one
day, and very disappointing for three months search. However, I found many Cypraea in good condition and the best
beach-specimens of Voluta africana I have yet come across. This last is valued even as beach specimens as they are impossible
to find unless taken from the stomachs of trawled fish. The few good specimens in museums were obtained from that source.
I have made contact with a trader and have since received two boxes of beach Cypraea. These are still glossy but many have a
minute puncture showing that the mollusk had been killed by another predatory creature. I have about half a dozen Cypraea
marginalis which I found at Bashee River mouth. These are rare and I have already parted with two. This is dead material.
The Pondoland coast, between the Transkei and Natal, has been explored with better results by the Natal conchologists, but
even this is now Bantu territory and access will not be as easy as formerly. These two coastal areas constitute the most
delightful climatic regions in the winter months. They enjoy a certain amount of rain all the year from the south-east trade
winds, but the wind is stronger in summer and their rainy season is therefore spoken of as a summer one. Their winters are
very mild.
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