126 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 109 



men of B. undatum Linnaeus that had, as Hermann repeatedly 

 stresses, gi'own irregularly as the result of untoward circumstances. 



As Dall (1921) cites page 53 of Hermann (1781) for Buccinum 

 solutum Hermann instead of page 52, where Hermann's description 

 begins, it is possible that he read for the description the next one 

 after B. solutum. In the collections of the U. S. National Museum, 

 Dall identified and labeled as Chrysodomus solutus (Hermann) speci- 

 mens of both Neptunea heros (see preceding species) and N. mid- 

 dendorffiana. A search of the literature fails to reveal any illustra- 

 tion of ''Chrysodomus solutus (Hermann)" by Dall, but his conception 

 of it has found its way into Japanese literature, as evidenced by 

 Kuroda (1936)^° and Kira (1954), the obvious explanation being that 

 Dall either identified specimens for some Japanese worker or that a 

 Japanese visitor at the U. S. National Museum got his ideas from 

 specimens labeled by Dall.^^ 



It is here suggested that "Neptunea soluta (Hermann)" be dropped 

 from our list of western shells and that B. solutum Hermann fall as 

 a homonym of B. undatum Linnaeus. 



Although the shells of Neptunea were easily separable into the 

 three species given herein, there remains the possibility that N. 

 middendorffiana may be the male of another species. On the basis 

 of the nucleus. A^. middendorffiana shows closer affinity to A^. ventricosa 

 than to A'', heros. By the time the problems involving Neptunea 

 arose, I did not have available the soft parts with which to make 

 determinations of sex. 



Genus Plicifusus Dall, 1902 

 Plicifusus kroyeri (Moller, 1842) 



Plate 10, figures 11-13 



Fusus kroyeri Moller, 1842a, p. 18; 1842b, p. 91.— Kobelt, 1887, p. 85, pi. 15, 



figs. 1-3. 

 ? Fusus verkruzeni Kobelt, 1876, p. 70, pi. 2, fig. 1. 



Sipho kroyeri Tryon and Pilsbry, 1879-1898, vol. 3, p. 130, pi. 53, figs. 333-336. 

 Plicifusus verkruzeni Oldroyd, 1927, pt. 1, p. 208. 

 Plicifusus kroyeri Oldroyd, 1927, pt. 1, p. 206.— Morris, 1952, p. 127, pi. 29, 



fig. 2. 



Twelve living specimens were dredged: 1 (30.5 mm. in height) from 

 120 feet (Sept. 15, 1948); 3 (50, 55.3, and 57 mm. in height) from 

 125 feet; 1 (28.8 by 14.5 mm.) from 130 feet (Sept. 15, 1948); 4 (40.4 

 by 16.6 mm., 40.4 by 20 mm., 42.3 by 18 mm., and 48.1 by 19 mm.) 



'« For several of these Japanese references I am indebted to Dr. Katiira Oyama. 



" Since this was written, Dr. Oyama has informed me that it is his understanding that Dr. Dall identified 

 some specimens for the late Y. Hirase and that Kuroda, successor to Hirase, followed Dall's identification 

 and that Kuroda identified the specimen reported by Kinoshita and Isahaya and the one figured by Kira. 



