NO. 2002. DIAGNOSES OF NEW PACIFIC SHELLS— DALL. 589 



recurved. Height of shell 38; of last whorl 30; of aperture 13; 

 maximum diameter, exclusive of the spines, 18 mm. 



Dredged off Hondo, Japan, at station 3698, in 153 fathoms, mud, 

 bottom temperature 65° F. Cat. No. 110771, U.S.N.M. 



This elegant species has somewhat the aspect of a Muricidea 

 except for its long canal, and it is possible that it should be referred 

 to some section of Murex rather than to BoreotropJion to which it 

 seems also closely allied. 



Genus AMPHISSA H. and A. Adams. 



COSMIOCONCHA, new subgenus. 



Buccinum 8ip., Powys, 1835. 

 Truncaria sp., H. and A. Adams, 1853. 

 Columbeila sp., Carpenter, 1856. 



Type. — Buccinum modestum Powys, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1835, 

 p. 94. Bay of Montijo, Central America. 



The type of Amphissa is Buccinum corrugatum Reeve. The 

 genus is typically represented by a group of species peculiar to the 

 Northwest coast of America, and which does not extend into the 

 Tropics. They are, in short, Columbellids with a Buccinoid shell, 

 with strong axial, crossed by more or less marked spiral, sculpture. 



The group now segregated is tropical, with its focus in the Gulf of 

 California, and with a Columbelloid operculum and radula has a 

 shell practically without axial sculpture and with strong spiral 

 striation, especially on the region near the canal, and sometimes 

 with a single groove directly in front of the suture. There is a marked 

 thickening beliind the outer lip, which is sharp and simple, the 

 typical species has lirations inside the aperture on the outer wall of 

 the throat, but some of the others seems to be devoid of this feature. 

 The anterior end of the columella is markedly attenuated; the 

 colors are usually brown and yellow. There is some superficial 

 resemblance to the typical Truncaria, wliich, however, has a very 

 different, narrowly ovate, operculum with the nucleus apical, as in 

 many species of Turris. 



AMPHISSA (COSMIOCONCHA) PALMERI, new species. 



Shell smaller than A. modesta Powys, and of a uniform pale brown- 

 ish color when fresh, with a loosely coiled, smooth, glassy nucleus of 

 two whorls and two subsequent nepionic whorls which show obscure 

 traces of axial ribbing; subsequent whorls about five, smooth except 

 for a faint impressed line in front of the suture, six or seven strong 

 cords on the base of the shell behind the siphonal fasciole, and more 

 or less striation on the fasciole, beside incremental lines; whorls 

 moderately rounded, suture very distinct, not appressed; a strong 

 rounded varix beliind the outer lip; aperture elongate, oval, a small 

 callus on the body, but no subsutural sinus; outer lip sharp, simple, 



