179 



Shell tumid, rounded, short conical spire, and broad body-whorl ; 

 protoconch composed of one and a half smooth turns, the earlier 

 p irtion rising high and is much inflated, a strong varix denotes its 

 termination ; shell in the brephic stage cancellate, but the varices 

 gradually become accentuated in the neanic stage, and carry 

 leaf-like expansions which increase in size as the adult condition 

 is approached ; there are three varices to each whorl, and these 

 are rendered somewhat spinose at the edge by the prolongation 

 of the elevated spiral ridges which form such a conspicuous part of 

 the ornament; between each ridge there is one prominent linea- 

 tion, commonly accompanied by one or two smaller threads; and 

 there are usually three intervariceal costae, which are subspinose 

 at the periphery on the later whorls ; the lines of growth give 

 rise to scales on intersecting the spiral ornament ; aperture slightly 

 oblique, ovate, peristome continuous except for the narrow slit 

 which communicates with the almost closed canal ; outer margin 

 crenulate ; inner margin lined with a thick, enamelled, reflected 

 plate; canal short, corrugated. 



The comparative simplicity of the spinose ornament removes 

 this species from typical examples of Chicoreus ; but, on the other 

 hand, the configui-ation of the shell and the nature of the varices 

 are not typical of Triplex. 



Dimenfttotis. — Length 25 mm. ; breadth (including varices) 

 19 mm.; length of aperture 10 mm.; length of canal 16 mm. 



Form, and Loc. — Eocene : Muddy Creek, Victoria. 



G. 4274. Three specimens. Presented by John Dennant, Esq. 



G. 9446. Two examples of the adult. Purchased. 



Subgenus MURICOPSIS, Bucquoy and Dautzenberg. 



[Moll. Marins Eoussillon, t. i. 1882, p. 19.] 



Spire elevated; canal short, open; umbilicate; varices numerous ; 

 columella with denticles in front ; outer margin crenulated. 

 2'yp». — Murex blainvillei, Payraudeau. 



Murex (Muricopsis) irregularis, Tate. 



1888. Mnrcx {C/riroims) irnyularis, Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. South Anst. 

 vol. X. p. 102, pi. vi. fig. 3. 



Protoconch consisting of one and a half smooth turns, terminated 



