210 CYPR^A. 



rarely, sulcated on the inner margin and over a large portion of 

 the ventral surface. 



Type. — Cypraa umhilicata, Sowerby. ■ 



Cyprsea (Umbilia) eximia, G. B. Sowerby. 



18i5. Cyprtea eximia, G. B. Sowerby, in Strzelecki, Phys. Desc. N.S.W 



p. 296, pi. xix. figs. 1-3. 

 1876. Cyprma {Aricia) eximia, M'Coy, Prod. Pal. Yict. dec. iii. p. 35, 



pis. xxviii. and xxix. figs. 2-2i. 

 1878. Cyprcea eximia, E. Etheridge, jun., Cat. Aust. Foss. p. 161. 

 1878. Cyprceovula eximia, R. Etheridge, jun., id. p. 162. 

 1890. Cypraa eximia, Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. South Aust. vol. xiii. pt. 2, 



p. 209. 

 1893. Cyprcea eximia, Tate and Dennant, id. vol. xvii. pt. 1, p. 221. 



This is one of the most striking shells found in the Australian 

 Tertiary ; it is prolonged, and channelled both anteriorly and 

 posteriorly, and in these features bears a certain resemblance to 

 Amphiperas, Gronovius. The form of the spire, which is depressed, 

 is barely visible through the thin deposit of callous enamel with 

 "which it is covered ; the anterior prolongation has two large 

 irregular, obtuse tubercles of a compound character on the dorsal 

 surface, and is bordered by broad callous extensions of the ventral 

 surface. These features, together with long, deep sulcations cut 

 in the ventral surface and extending over the inner margin, which 

 take the place of crenulations (and, in fact, produce the effect of 

 a number of bold ridges), serve to readily distinguish this species 

 from its congeners. It has a general subgeneric resemblance to 

 C. umhilicata, Sowerby, which, as Professor Tate' points out, falls 

 into Umbilia, Jousseaume, in which subgenus it is here included, 

 though it is not typical, and may by some authors be regarded as 

 furnishing material for a new section of Cyprcea. 



Dimensions. — Length 83 mm. ; breadth 39 mm. 



Form, and Loc. — Eocene. "It was found in a muddy sand, in 

 sinking a well to 140 feet in depth, at Franklin's Tillage, Yan 

 Diemen's Land." — Soiverhy. 



G. 9694. The type specimen figured by Sowerby. Furchased. 



1 Op. cit. 1890, p. 209. 



4 



