442 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER 



defined by any carina ; within it is a slight furrow, and a broad, flat, scarce appreciable 

 cord ; it is half covered by the reverted lip, and contracts at once to a mere pore. H. 0'35 

 in. B. 0-33. Penultimate whorl, height (Ml. Mouth, height 0'26, breadth 0'2. 



This species resembles some of the more flattened forms of the young of Natica montagui, Forbes ; 

 but than that species this is less globose, more depressed, with a higher, shorter, blunter spire, the 

 apex of which has much coarser whorls ; the mouth is much larger, more circular, and is not 

 obliquely turned in under the base of the body-whorl, as it comparatively is in Natica montagui. 

 The umbilicus, too, is less open, and there is no trace of the umbilical pillar and superior furrow of 

 that species. Than Natica bulbosa, Reeve, this species is rounder in the mouth, higher in the spire, 

 and opener in the umbilicus. 



14. Natica philippinensis, Watson (PI. XXVII. fig. l). 



Natica philippinensis, "Watson, Prelim. Report, pt. 7, Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond., vol. sv. p. 252. 



Station 210. January 25, 1875. Lat. 9° 26' N., long. 123° 45' E. Philippines. 

 375 fathoms. Blue mud. Bottom temperature 54°*1. 



Shell. — Bather depressedly but conically globose, umbilicate, thickish, slightly ribbed 

 and spirally striate, yellowish, with rounded prominent whorls, and with a brownish band 

 above the periphery. Sculpture : Longitudinals — the upper whorls are closely crossed by 

 numerous riblets, whose front edge is sharp ; they are strongly convex in front, especially 

 near the top of the whorl ; on the last whorl these become feeble, especially at the peri- 

 phery ; besides these there are slight, close-set, rounded striae on the lines of growth. 

 Spirals — the whole surface is scored by faint irregular and unequal furrows and micro- 

 scopic lines ; there is a twisted, prominent, but blunt umbilical carina. Colour porcel- 

 lanous white under the yellow epidermis, with a broad buff band which extends from the 

 periphery half-way to the suture. Epidermis yellow, thin, glossy, but roughened by 

 longitudinal folds. Spire short, but raised. Apex very small, prominent, but the 

 extreme tip scarcely rises into view. Wliorls 6 (of which the first three are embryonic 

 and of a faint brownish-purple), tumid, well rounded, of rapid increase. Suture nearly 

 horizontal, deep, almost channelled. Mouth not much oblique, a little gibbously semi- 

 circular, slightly more than three-fourths of the whole height of the shell, open, slightly 

 and bluntly angulated at the point of the pillar, pure white within, but. where the buff 

 spiral band lies there is a slight ruddy tinge, deepening to a rusty stain towards the edge 

 of the lip. Outer lip a little contracted above, and there faintly flattened ; it curves very 

 equably throughout its whole sweep ; it is open, but with a straight sharp edge, and pro- 

 jects bluntly at the extreme point of the shell, where the umbilical carina joins it. Inner 

 lip pure white, straight, oblique, flat, and obsoletely channelled within, with a slightly 

 thickened rounded edge ; it is joined above to the outer lip by an expanded but not very 

 large nor thick callus ; below this, where it leaves the body-whorl, it is thin and hollowed 



