42 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OF 



whorls decidedly ribbed ; the larger ribs are usually confined to the body whorl, 

 sometimes extending to the second; but above this, there is a space embracing 

 one or more whorls, which is smooth or slightly wrinkled, and the two or 

 three upper whorls are regularly ribbed to the apex. With the " sirnilis" the 

 ribs on the body whorl are more numerous', smaller and more regular generally, 

 and occupy more of the whorl, and generally all of the whorls are regularly 

 ribbed to the apex. The general appearance of the two shells differs, one 

 being always smaller than the other. The revolving striae are very similar in 

 the two shells; the same may be said of the coloring, the " similis" being the 

 most prettily mottled. It must, however, be acknowledged, that the two run 

 into each other so nearly, that occasionally, it is not easy to determine a speci- 

 men. The uncertainty is increased by the difficulty in following up a series 

 from the very young to the mature state of either. I have not been able to 

 compare the animals ; common on the coasts of North and South Carolina. 



COLUMBELLA TRANSLIRATA. 



Shell elevated, conical, sharp at the apex ; whorls nine, nearly flat, rather 

 closely ribbed, ribs and interspaces about equal, with five equidistant revolving 

 striae, from the anterior canal to the apex. Upon the upper whorls, one line is 

 lost at the suture, where the whorls seem to overlap as they ascend ; the body 

 whorl is much the largest, and is angulated from opposite the posterior end of 

 the aperture, revolving to near the centre of the outer lip ; to this angle the 

 ribs are half the number that are upon the whorl immediately above, and at 

 the suture are nodulous ; the nodules being generally white, give a decided 

 character to the shell. Below this angle the ribs are much less decided, and 

 again resume their original number, and by holding the canal towards the eye, 

 the intermediate rib can be traced, running up between the larger ones, 

 gradually becoming obsolete ; and below this angle the revolving striae become 

 more numerous and more decided, crossing the ribs so as to produce a reticu- 

 lated appearance, except as they approach the end of the anterior canal, where 

 the ribs cease and the revolving striae alone are to be seen. 



Aperture moderate, oblong, rather narrow, very little hollowed on the pillar 

 lip; pillar callus with obsolete denticulations; outer lip not decidedly thickened, 

 denticulate slightly within. 



Color varying from a light straw to a dark brown, with the ends of the ribs 

 at the suture of the body whorl and at the angle on this whorl, white. Some 

 of the specimens have blotches of white, which give the whole shell a mottled 

 appearance. It is larger than C. avara Say, being nearly an inch in length. 

 This shell and " C. similis," are allied to " C. avara" but are very distinct. 

 They belong to the group of which C. avara Say is the type. 



From the stomachs of fish off Charleston bar, and is more abundant than any 

 species obtained from this source as yet. Dr. Stimpson found it at Beaufort, 

 N. C. 



COLUMBELLA IONTHA. 



Shell fusiform, strong, small, with nine flat, ribbed whorls, white, with 

 brown blotches and lines. Suture deep and distinct, both the upper and lower 

 edges of the whorls being chamfered ; the ribs on the body whorl near the 

 aperture less distinct than on other parts of the shell ; anterior portion of this 

 whorl with numerous revolving striae ; these impressed striae give place to 

 colored lines as they ascend, and these are continued more or less distinct to 

 the apex, being visible only as they cross the ribs and not in the intermediate 

 spaces, except here and there, where being more deeply colored and descend- 

 ing between the ribs, produce the blotches which mark the shell. 



The aperture is small, rather wide in proportion, the pillar lip much hollowed 

 above, suddenly becoming straight to form the canal ; outer lip considerably 

 enlarged, denticulated sparsely within; length a little over J of an inch. 



This is a very pretty little shell, allied to the group which embraces 



TFeb. 



