450 PYRAMIDELLID.E. 



E. POLITA, Linnaeus. 



E.polita, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 229, pi. 92. f. 1, 2, 3 ; (animal) pi. K.K. 



f. 2, 3, and iv. p. 2/3. 

 E. nitida and E. distort a, Auct. 



Animal of twelve to sixteen spiral turns, inhabiting a 

 white, highly- polished, porcellanous, conically- tapering, subu- 

 late shell. Mantle white, fleshy, fully lining the aperture, but 

 there is no reflexion or extension of it to account for the 

 perfectly glabrous aspect. Head moderately large, flattish, not 

 much produced ; mouth below vertically cloven. The tenta- 

 cula are short, conical, pointed, nearly united at the bases, 

 diverging gradually to their terminations; the basal halves 

 are pure white, the terminal portions yellow or orange, some- 

 times of a greenish-yellow. The eyes are large, and when the 

 animal marches, generally lie under the anterior margin of 

 the aperture, but from its tenuity and lustre are easily ob- 

 served ; they are very rarely exserted beyond the limits of the 

 shell, and are fixed at the centres of the bases of the tenta- 

 cula ; they are mounted on minute orange-coloured eminences. 

 The foot is small, short, seldom extended beyond the basal 

 whorl, truncate and auricled anteriorly, very moderately acu- 

 minated behind ; the sole in front is separated from the upper 

 skin by a groove, forming double labia, and carries on the 

 operculigerous lobe a thin, light horn- coloured, flexible, sub- 

 oval, obliquely-striated operculum. The anterior upper margin 

 of the foot is bordered by two linear segments of a circle, with 

 the convexity outwards, but indented in the middle, of a 

 bright orange-yellow ; but these colours, intensely marked, are 

 only observable in adult specimens, the younger ones being- 

 white. I have omitted to mention, that several portions of 

 the foot are more or less tinctured with orange-yellow. The 

 verge of this species springs under the right tentaculum ; it 

 is rather long, pale yellow, flat and strap-shaped for two- 

 thirds of its length ; at the end it becomes more spread 

 and falcate, with two short orange-coloured stripes at the 

 terminus, where the orifice is placed. The testis is an elon- 

 gated oval, yellowish lobe, situate in the posterior volutions, 

 and communicating with the verge by a long, wrinkled, tor- 



