107 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ASTRA LIUM 

 FROM KEW BRITAIN. 



Bv Chakles Hedley, F.L.S., and Arthur Willey, D.Sc. 



(Plate XII.) 



The following species was dredged up by one of us in Talili 

 Bay, off the north-east coast of the Gazelle Peninsula, New 

 Britain, in 30-40 fathoms on a shelly floor, in company with species 

 of Xenophoruft, EaneUa, Oniscia, Pleurotoma, Fusus, Nassa, 

 Conus, <tc'. 



The entire material at our disposal consisted of some three 

 dozen specimens, and was obtained in one haul of the trawl. The 

 stages of growth exhibited ranged from young shells about 16 

 mm. in diameter, inclusive of spines, to adult shells of some 45 

 mm. in diameter. 



This handsome shell is nearest allied to the well-known 

 Japanese species, A. triumphans, from which it differs chiefly by 

 a reduction of the peripheral spines in the adult and in the 

 greater number of spines. 



Adopting Pilsbry's classification as given in the Manual of 

 Conchology, Vol. X., it should enter the sub-genus GuUdfordia 

 of Gi'ay. 



Description of Sj^ecies. 



ASTRALIUAI MONILIFERUM, n.sp. 



ShrJI. — Low, trochiform, imperforate. 



Colour. — Light purplish beads on a ground of old gold, with a 

 metallic lustre; paler below. 



