OP CONCHOLOGY. 273 



Nassa gracilis, Pease. Plate 23, fig. 4. 



Description. — T. crassa, ovata, acuminata, longitudinaliter 

 plicato-costata, interstitiis concavis, transversim sulcatis, ad 

 suturas marginata ; spira gracilis, acuta ; apertura parva ; colu- 

 mella cum callo luteo tecto, valde dentata ; labro valde incrassa- 

 to, fauce valde lirata ; castaneo-fusca. 



Dimensions. — Long. 15, diam. 8 mill. 



Locality. — Insl. Ascension. 



Shell solid, acuminatelj ovate, longitudinally finely plica tely 

 ribbed, interstices concave and distantly grooved transversely, 

 marginated at the sutures ; spire slender, acute ; aperture 

 small ; columella covered with a yellowish callosity, extending 

 on to the penultimate whorl, strongly dentate on its edge and 

 furnished with a laminate callosity above ; lip much thickened 

 and strongly ridged within its whole length ; color dark chest- 

 nut brown. 



Maybe compared with varieties of N. thersites, Brug. 



Engina fusiformis, Pease. Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1865. 

 Plate 23, fig. 5. 



Description. — T. fusiformi, utrinque attenuata, medio angu- 

 lata, longitudinaliter nodoso-costata, transversim sulcata et 

 striata ; basi contracta ; spira acuminata, acuta ; anfr. superne 

 parum concavis ; columella superne vix excavata et plicata ; 

 apertura dimidium longitudinis testae asquanti, purpureu-rufes- 

 cente ; nigra, luteo irregulariter maculata et fasciata. 



Dimensions. — Long. -6, diam. -34 poll. 



Locality. — Insl. Howland. 



Shell fusiform, attenuated at both ends, angulated at the mid- 

 dle, longitudinally nodosely ribbed, ribs 11-12, rounded, most 

 prominent on the angulation, almost obsolete on the upper part 

 of the whorls, beneath the suture, at which part the whorls are 

 somewhat concavely depressed ; spire acuminate, apex acute ; 

 contracted at base and slightly recurved ; grooved and striate 

 transversely, the strise fine, regular, covering all parts of the 

 shell ; columella excavated above and furnished with one or 

 more laminae; aperture narrow, purplish red, about one-half the 

 length of the shell ; color black, spotted and banded with light 

 straw color, occasionally the above colors are reversed ; the black 

 color is mostly confined to the longitudinal ribs or nodules. 



In sculpture this species resembles E. lauta, Rve, and some- 

 what L. forticostata, Rve, both of which species inhabit Poly- 

 nesia. J 



