Cyprcea reticulata and Cypraa histrio distinct. 



Chemn. Conch. 10, p. 110, t. 145, f. 1346, 1347. 

 Lister, Conch, t. 659, f 3 a. 

 Knorr, Vergn. 2, t. 16, f. 1. 

 Martyn, Conch, t. 15. 

 Habitat in mari Indico." 



We may notice in passing, that with liis accustomed inconsist- 

 ency, Gmeliti had already quoted this same figure of Lister (G59, 

 3 a,) for his C. arabica, var.fi. 



On page 3420, we have 



" C. reticulata. C. testa reticulata, margine maculatis virgatis v <. 



Kuniphins. Mus. t. 3% f. u. 

 Habitat ." 



Here Chemnitz's unfortunate reference to Martyn's figure is 

 repeated, and suhsequeut authors have been led to view Martyn's 

 and Chemnitz's shells as identical, an inference which Gmelin's 

 brief description might confirm, since it may apply to both shells, 

 and with the exception of the "subtus a/l/a," would perhaps suit 

 the reticulata better than the histrio. But as if he had not already 

 sufficiently perplexed the subject, he gives us, on p< 3420, a 

 C reticulata of his own, for which he does not quote Marty n, 

 but a figure of Rumphius. This he accompanies with a descrip- 

 tion so brief as to be useless. This figure of Rumphius is 

 ambiguous, as we have seen, but has been quoted by authors, and 

 perhaps rightly, for C. histrio. What wonder that subsequent 

 Writers, trusting too implicitly to the labors of their predecessors, 

 and perhaps destitute of good and characteristic specimens of the 

 two species, should conclude that the C. reticulata could have ho 

 arate existence ! 



Shortly after the appearance of Gmelin's work, the publication 

 of the French Encyclopedic Methodique was commenced. Its 

 progress was, however, much delayed, and the plates to the genus 

 Cvproeadid not appear until the year 1916; while the text of the 

 same bears the date of L832, sixteen years later. On plate 351 j 

 we find a very good figure of the true C. histrio ; but on referring 

 to the description of that species in the text, we find that it is not 

 applicable to the figure, but is evidently founded on a specimen 



