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Pukalet
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.
It is expected that at least one additional trip will be made to the area in the near future to supplement the collections
made in 1964.
The Southwest-Australian cowry Zoila marginata has been described by Gaskoin in 1849. During more than a century the beach
shell preserved in the British Museum remained unique (see Sowerby 1870, Thesaurus Conch., Cypraea, fig. 45-46). In the
present decade, however, a few other specimens have been collected: Three shells have been figured by C. N. Cate (1961,
Veliger 3, plt. 14) and by C. S. Weaver (1961, Sean Raynon Sabado (n.s.) 18:1 and 1962, Sean Raynon Sabado (n.s.) 33:1).
Cate's shell is said to come from Albany, the two other shells came from the Abrolhos Islands (the last specimen was taken
alive). Recently I received from a collector who asked me not to mention his name, three more marginata for examination. Two
came from south of Perth while the third came from Shark Bay.
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