180 



LAKD AND FRESH-WATER SHELLS OF N. A. [pART IV 



disposition to striae on the upper remaining whorl, 

 line it resembles a small Virginica, Say. — Lea. 



In general out- 



Fia;. 350. 



The first specimens received by Mr. Lea being decollate, 

 he was not aware that it is a plicate species. I have copied 

 Mr. Lea's figure, but give also a figure of a more perfect 

 specimen. 



49. G. coracina, Anthony. 



Melanin coracina, Anthont, Bost. Proc, iii, p. 3G1, Dec, 1S50. Binnet, Check 



List, No. 67. Brot, List, p. 58. 

 Melanin Sellersiana, Lea, Pliilos. Trans., x, p. 299, t. 30, f. 8. Obs., v, p. 55. BiN- 



NEY, Check List, No. 239. 



Description. — Shell small, thin, conically turreted, piceous, shining, 

 whorls G-7, flattened above, generally, plicately ribbed, the 

 last ventricose and subangulate ; aperture rotundately-ovate, 

 i-ounded in front, columella narrow, blackish. 



Observations. — The peculiar, dark, purplish-black color of 

 ff/^J this prettily sculptured species is a very decisive character. 

 It is allied to M. decora and M. costulata. — Anthony. 



The figure is from the original type. Mr. Anthony writes 

 to me that the shells described by Mr. Lea as Sellersiana had 

 first been submitted to himself, when he selected specimens 

 and described them as M. coracina. An inspection of the 

 copy of Mr. Lea's figure, which is here given, will show the 

 identity of the two species. Mr. Anthony has considerable 

 priority in the publication. 



The following is the description of 



Melania Sellersiana. — Shell folded, small, conical, rather thick, 

 very dark brown; spire rather short ; sutures linear; whorls slightly 

 convex ; aperture large, elliptical, rounded at tUe base, within purple ; 

 columella very much incurved. 



Habitat. — Caney Fork, Tennessee. 



Diameter, -IG; length, '38 of an inch. 



Observations. — This is an interesting little species, somewhat like 

 M. Nickliniana (nobis), in its general appearance and size, 

 but is less inflated, and of a darker color. It might be sup- 

 posed that its being a plicate shell would at once distinguish ift 

 it ; but the Sellersiana seems to be very variable in the char- 'W 

 acter of its folds, some of the specimens really having none 

 remaining. These may have had folds near the apex, which is now 



Fig. 35L 



