MULLUSGA UF SOUTE AFRICA, 



BY 



G. II SOWERBY, F.L.S. 



Since the publication of my description of the remarkable 

 Ncptuiicopsis Gilchristi in " Marine Investigations/" 1898, several 

 smalj lots of mollusca have been sent to me., as the results of 

 more recent dredgings, for identification and description. A con- 

 siderable proportion of these belong to well known species, some 

 of which, however^ having now been taken for the first time alive, 

 art worthv of special notice, particularh- the / 'oliifilitlics abyssi- 

 cola, and the Ebitnia papillaris. In this paper, while making 

 mention of, and some notes on the known species, I am describing 

 six which I believe to be new to science — notably, a new Voluti- 

 iifhes, making the third recent species of the genus. Of this, un- 

 fortunately, only dead shells have as yet been procured, but, 

 having been dredged in deep water at a somewhat greater depth 

 than / '• abyssicola, it is quite probable that it may still exist in a 

 living state. 



Ebtrxa papillaris. Sowerby (Plate II., fig 3). Tank. Cat- app. 

 22., Thes. Conch, vol- iii., p. 70, pi. 215, fig. 7, 



One specimen only, procured by dredge at Algoa Bay. Lat., 

 32*'5o'S. ; long., 25" 54' 30" E. Depth, 24 fms. Bottom, sand, 

 shells, and rock. ' : -»• 



With regard to the shell, there is little to add to the original 

 description, but the markings are somewhat different, consisting 

 ot trausverselv oblong, not rounded, spots. The periostracum is 

 exceedingly thin and transparent, scarcely obscuring the pattern 

 of the shell. This may possibly not be always the case in tL'e 

 species, as the Eburn^e, like other Buccinoids, present consider- 

 able variation in the character and thickness of the periostracum 

 covering different shells of the same species; for instance, I have 

 before me an Ebitnia caiialiculafa with a thick, dark brown, scali- 

 rous coat entirely hiding the pattern of the shell, and another with 

 a light yellowish covering which is perfectly transparent, a light 

 veil which does not in the least mar the beauty of the pattern 

 bt neath. On the other hand. /:. ccylaiiica appears to have invari- 

 ably a very light covering. 

 A2144. 



