62 BULLETIN 111, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



DENTALIUM (FISSIDENTALIUM) MERIDIONALE JAMAICENSE, new subspecies. 



Plate 9, fig. 4. 



1889. Dentaliitm. candidimi, Dall, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 12, p. 294 (not D. 



candidum Jeffreys). 

 1897. Dentalium candidum meridionale Pilsbry and Sh.\rp (part), Tryon's Man. 



Conch., vol. 17, p. 73. 



The shell differs from the typical subspecies onl}'- in being more 

 slender, while possessing the same number and character of riblets. 



The specimen selected from a lot of six specimens for the type, 

 Cat. No. 103S19, U.S.N.M., was taken at the U. S. B. F. Station 2140, 

 near Jamaica, in 966 fathoms, coral sand, bottom temperature 39.7°. 

 It measures — length, 110 mm.; greater diameter, 11 mm.; lesser 

 diameter, 10 mm. 



Also a lot of two specimens, Cat. No. 87556, U.S.N.M., from U. S. 

 B. F. Station 2760, 90 miles north of Caera, Brazil, in 1,019 fathoms, 

 broken coral; bottom temperature, 39.4°. 



An intermediate form between this and the northern Dentalium 

 meridionale verrilU is met with in 731 fathoms off Cape Fear. The 

 sculpture persists to the oral end, but the shell begins to take on the 

 chalky texture and tliicker periostricum so characteristic of the 

 boreal form. This is a lot of five specimens, Cat. No. 93425, U.S.N.M,, 

 taken at the U. S. B. F. Station 2678, in 731 fathoms, ooze; bottom 

 temperature, 38.7° F. 



DENTALIUM (FISSmENTALroM) MERIDIONALE VERRILLI, new name. 



Plate 9, fig. 3. 



1884. Dentalium solidum VerrHjL, Trans. Conn. Acad, of Arts and Sci., vol. 6, 



p. 215, pi. 44, fig. 16 (not solidum Button, 1873). 

 1889. Dentalium candidum, Dall, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 18, p. 422, in part 



(not Dentalium candidum Jeffreys, 1877). 

 1889. Dentalium candidum, Dall, Bull. 37, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 76 (not of Jeffreys). 

 1893. Dentalium candidum. Bush, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 34, No. 6, p. 223 



(not of Jeffreys). 

 1897. Dentalium. candidum, Pilsbry and Sharp, Tryon's Man. Conch., vol. 17, 



p. 72, in part, pi. 8, figs. 27, 28 (not figs. 29, 30); pi. 15, figs. 39, 40. 

 1903. Dentalium candidum, Dall, Bull. 37, U. S. Nat. Mus., p. 75 (not of Jeffreys). 



The shell is very large, heavy, strong, regularly increasing in 

 diameter, with its chief curvature near the tip or in the posterior 

 tliird, the balance of the shell being almost straight (variable). The 

 section is round, periostricum thin, shell thickest just back of aper- 

 ture. Specimens are rather given to abnormalities. It is ashen gray 

 or mouse colored, a glossy periostricum covering a thick chalky 

 white layer beneath, which in turn surrounds an inner nacreous hard 

 layer of a bluish white tint. The outer shell surface is usually worn 

 away in spots, especially about the apical end, leaving exposed the 

 middle soft chalky layer, which is itself quite subject to the destruc- 

 tive chemical action of sea water. The sculpture consists of about 16 



