PLATE CLXXX. 



could not have presumed to insert the species in this work, were it 

 not to avail ourselves of the opportunity afforded hy that means to cor- 

 rect an error very generally admitted concerning t>e true Murex 

 despectus of Linnaeus, the shell at this time under confideration. 



To the English conchologist it need be scarcely said, that another 

 shell, somewhat similar to the present, although specifically different, 

 has been hitherto received as the Murex despectus of Linnaeus by 

 every writer in this country who has had occafion to speak of that shell. 

 The origin of this mistake, it will be perceived from the following 

 particulars, rests in a great measure, if not entirely, with Linnaeus 

 himself. The Murex despectus of this writer is noticed, for the first 

 time, in the account of his Tiavels through part of Sweden : 

 a small octavo volume written in the Swedish language, with notes, 

 relative to Natural History in Latin. At page 200, he describes this 

 shell in these words, " cochlea spiris octo oblonga utrinque producta 

 lineis duabus elevatis," referring to plate 8. fig. 5. of the same work for 

 a delineation of the shell ; the figure quoted in every respect agrees 

 with our specimen, not only in the general outline, but most exactly 

 in having the slight carinated ridges that pass spirally round the 

 whorls, a character not observable on the Murex despectus of English 

 authors. So far therefore we are convinced rhat the present shell is 

 the Murex despectus of ihe Linnaean Iter Westrogothicum. 



The work above mentioned appeared in 1746, the year in which 

 Linnaeus likewise published the first edition of his Fauna Suecica. 

 In the latter, Murex despectus is again described with a reference to 

 his Iter W. goth. and in addition to that synonym, a shell figured 

 by Lister is also quoted for the same species. This is the source of 

 that very confusion which has fince arisen concerning the Linnaean 



