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Hipopos
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.
The name moneta (coin) refers to the former use of the cowry as coin in Africa, and caurica** is a badly latinized "cowry";
this word comes from the Hindoostanee language in which it means small coins, as moneta and annulus have been used as money
in ancient India too: they have been called Kaparda in Sanscrit, and Kavari by the Mahrats; the word cowry may, however, also
derivate from Kori which means tax in the language of Gujarat in India.
2. Many names derive from the habitat of the holotype:
from countries chinensisChina, gambiensisGambia, indica(East) India, melanesiaeMelanesia, mexicanaMexico,
surinamensisSurinam, (Guiana), westralisWest Australia (incorrectly contracted word); from seas: erythraeensisfrom the
Erythraean (Red) Sea; from islands: luchuanaLu-chu (Ryu-kyu) Islands, mauritianaMauritius, novaebritanniaeNew Britain,
ogasawarensisOgasawara (Bonin) Islands; from cities: eucliaEucla, West Australia; or from bays, capes, etc.: algoensisAlgoa
Bay, capensisCape of Good Hope. Some geographical names indicate the habitat relative to that of allied species, as
aequinoctialisequatorial, hesperina and occidentaliswestern, superstes- survivor (of the fossil martini).
3. Specific names established in honor of a male scientist have been spelled by affixing one 'i' to his surname:
artuffeli, barclayi, catei, childreni (emended), coxeni, dillwyni, fultoni, gaskoini, hirasei, hungerfordi,
kieneri, kuroharai, landeri, langfordi, listeri, martini, moelleri (emended), ostergaardi, reevei, robertsi,
rosselli, summersi, teramachii, teulerei, tomlini, vredenburgi, walkeri, wilkinsi; if two 'i' have been affixed
originally, as in beckii, boivinii, broderipii, comptonii, cumingii, friendii, goodallii, humphreysii, lamarckii,
owenii, the second 'i' should be suppressed according to the International Rules of Zoological Nomenclature (1958), whereas
valentia (named after Lord Valentia) should be called valentiai in [the] future. Compound names must be written in one word,
as depriesteri and macandrewi, as well as names containing both the Christian name and the surname: raysummersi (Ray
Summers). Names of scientists also may be used as adjectives, affixing 'ana' as in grayana, rashleighana, and sowerbyana, or
affixing 'i' an a as in bregeriana, dayritiana, petitiana, schilderiana. Species dedicated to a woman will be named by
affixing 'ae' to the surname as hammondae and saulae, or to the Christian name: annettae, katsuae, mariae, marielae;
schilderorum expresses dedication to both Schilders, and catholicorum to the German Catholic missionaries in New Britain who
sent us several thousands of cowries.
4. The generic name Cypraea:
is to be derivated from the Greek Kyprios (i.e. living in the island Cyprus), a surname of Aphrodite or Venus, the ancient
deity of beauty.
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