\'i.f!lhun.\ GASTROPODA. ,'J6. r ) 



3. Vexillum obscurum, Hutton, 1873. Plato 4<i. fig. II. 



Mitru obtcuni. Hutl., C'.AI.M., J9 ; J. de Conch., 1878, 21 ; M.N./.M., i>0 ; 

 Index, 73 ; S\iter, P. Mai. S.. ii. 201. fig. in text. 



*S'fo// small, ovate-conical, sliglitly turreted, axially costate, dark 

 brown, banded or spotted with white. Sculpture consisting of more 

 or less distinct spiral line with linear interspaces ; all the whorls 

 below the protoconch have straight, elevated, and rounded axial 

 ribs, about 20 on the penultimate whorl, extending on the body- 

 whorl to the base, which is distinctly spirally striated. Colour blackish- 

 brown, with white spots or a white band below the suture ; a light 

 band on the middle of the last whorl is sometimes present ; the whole 

 of the body-whorl has the brown zone minutely dotted with white ; 

 base fuscous or light orange ; aperture purplish within. Spire low. 

 flatly shouldered, conical, height a little more than half that of the 

 aperture ; outlines faintly convex. Protoconch small, smooth, of 2 

 whorls, papillate. Whorls 7, somewhat flattened below the suture, 

 convex ; base slightly contracted. Suture superficial, undulating. 

 Aperture narrow, the margins parallel, roundly angled above, produced 

 below into a short, open, and lightly recurved canal. Outer lip angled 

 and thickened inside above, edge blunt, smooth inside. Columella 

 subvertical, with 4 but little oblique plaits, the uppermost transverse, 

 the lowest minute. Inner lip inconspicuous. 



Diameter, 3-5 mm. ; height. 9 mm. Angle of spire. 60. 



Animal unknown. 



Type in the Dominion Museum. Wellington. 



Hob. Bay of Islands (type) : Mokohinau Islands. 



Remark. The somewhat turreted spire, prominent axial ribs ex- 

 tending over the body-whorl, and the presence of a recurved canal 

 clearly indicate the species to belong to the genus Vexillum. 



4. Vexillum planatum, Hutton. 1885. Plate 18, fig. 6. 



Tnrricula plrrnata. Hutt., T.N.Z.J.. xvii. 1884 (1885), 315, pi. 18, f. 3 ; 

 Plioc. M., 47. Vulpecula planata, Hutt., Index, 74. 



Shell small, ovato-fusiform, solid, axially costate, black. Sculp- 

 ture consisting of distant not very distinct spiral striae, the base with 

 a few oblique rounded riblets ; all the whorls below the protoconch 

 are prominently axially costate. the ribs beginning a short distance 

 below the suture above, but extending to the suture below and nearly 

 to the base on the body- whorl ; they number about 14 on a whorl, 

 are angularly rounded, the interstices of the same width, and becom- 

 ing obsolete on the last half-turn of the body-whorl. Colour black, shin- 

 ing ; protoconch light purple ; base red. Spire elevated conic, acute, 

 of the same height as the aperture ; outlines nearly straight. Proto- 

 conch of 1^ smooth whorls, minute, papillate. Whorls 7, first slowly 

 increasing, the last high, flatly convex, sometimes lightly shouldered : 



