160 Panama Shells. 



i 



Family LITTOEINHLE. 

 210. Turritella Banksii. 



Synonymy. 

 Turritella Banksii Reeve Conch. Icon. pi. 4. f. 15. May 1840o 



Station. Sandy mud at the depth of 10 fathoms ; Cuming I 

 Eeeve. 



Between the low water mark of the neap tides and that of 

 the spring tides, this species was found living in, the calcareous 

 sand among and under stones. 



Habitat. Panama ; Cuming ! Eeeve. 

 Panama ; C. B. A. ! 



On the reef we collected about 350 specimens, one-third of 

 which were taken alive. 



This species is remarkable for the diversity of color in 

 different individuals. Some are nearly black and are but 

 slightly variegated ; others are mostly white, mottled with a few 

 irregular blackish spots ; many are ornamented with a profu- 

 sion of irregular greyish and blackish spots on a light ground ; 

 and a few are brown. Not less than 20 individuals would be 

 required to exhibit fairly this diversity of coloring. 



CECU]H. A European type of this extraordinary genus 

 has long been known under the name of Dentalium trachea. In 

 1849, Mr. Clark of Exmouth, England, described the soft parts in 

 the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist. Mr. C. considered the animal 

 to be kindred to Eissoa. In the Proc. Bost. Soe. Nat. Hist. Oct 

 15, 1851, Mr. William Stimpson has described three American 

 species, of which one inhabits Massachusetts, and two inhabit 

 Florida. For some time we have possessed several undescribed 

 species which we collected in Jamaica. Now we offer descrip- 

 tions of eight species from Panama. It is probable therefore 

 that the genus is well represented, on this continent.. 



