Zoological Society. 481 



tis ; varicihus numerosis, foUaciis simplicihus, superne elongatis, 

 fornicatis, estate valde erosis ; aperturd quadratd, pallide earned ; 

 lahro inths lavi, inferne dente magno, crasso, ohtuso ; canali tor* 

 tuoso, aperto, ad sinistram inclinato ; umbilico pracipue magno. 

 Axis 66 lin. 

 Hab. San Diego, California. From a bank of mud near the head 



of the harbour. 

 MuREX CALiFORNicus. Mur. testd fusiformi, fulvd, trivaricosd; 

 anfractibus senis, superne planulatis, transversim costatis, costis 

 rotundatis, subdistantibus, ad lacinias varicum incur rentibus, in- 

 tervallis costellatis, creniferis ; varicibus sex-laciniatis, supremd 

 maximd alatd, deinde gradatim minoribus creniferis; aperturd 

 ovalif Icevi ; canali clauso, recurvo, ad basin purpurascente. Axis 

 18 lin. 

 Hab. California. Mus. Cuming. 



MuREX HAMATUS. Mur. testd rhomboided, pallide luted, multiva- 

 ricosd ; anfractibus septenis, inter varices areis quadratis ; spird 

 subelongatd, acutd ; varicibus senis alatis, laciniis uncinatis ; aper- 

 turd ovali, inferne dente parvo acuta ; canali clauso, rectiusculo. 

 Axis 13^ lin. 

 Hab. Bay of Guayaquil; from a muddy floor, in twenty-one fa- 

 thoms. 

 This shell, together with M. emarginatus, M.monoceros and M. Nut- 

 tali, belong to a section of the genus which has been called by Con- 

 rad Cerastoma. But if the marginal tooth of the aperture is to be 

 regarded as sufficient grounds for separation, then I fear we must 

 draw freely on some of the typical species, where its existence seems 

 to have been little heeded. Mr. Swainson assigns it as a charac- 

 ter of his subgenus Muricanthus or Centronotus ; but for the above 

 reasons it ceases to possess any importance. In M.hamatus the situa- 

 tion of the tooth on the dorsal varices is marked by a small sharp 

 notch. 



MuREX ciRROsus. Mur. testd fusiformi, ventricosd, pallide earned, 

 formosissime multivaricosd ; suturd profundd, prope nigricante ; 

 varicibus nonis sexfarium laciniatis ; laciniis fistulosis, albis, re- 

 spectantibus, gradatim minoribus; interstitiis costis rotundatis 

 lacinias incurrentibus ; aperturd ovali; labro intus lavi; canali 

 gracili, recurvo, fere clauso, dorso bifariam laciniato, serie supe- 

 rior e gemind. Axis 9 lin. 

 Hab. Straits of Macassar. In fifteen fathoms, among sand and 



fine gravel. 

 An uncommonly beautiful species, both from the delicacy of its 

 colour, and the rich, varied, and elaborate character of its sculpture. 

 MuREx GRAVinus. Mur. testd globose fusiformi, multivaricosd; 

 anfractibus senis rotundatis, transversim costatis, supern^ fusco 

 fasciatis ; costulis approximatis , lamellosis ; varicibus quinis cos- 

 tulis subdivergentibus transitis, postice foveolatis ; aperturd ovali, 

 productd; labro inths Icevi; canali longiusculo, aperto, ad sinis- 

 tram inclinato. Axis 10 lin. 

 Hah, Cape Blanco, west coast of Africa. From sixty fathoms. 



