VOLUTA. 



Species 36. (Mus. Rucker.^ 



VoLUTA IMPERIALIS Vol. testaoblongo-turbiuatd, crassis- 

 sima, pmiderosa, spird brevi, apice obtuse papillari, an- 

 fractibus superne concavo-angidatis, spinis yrnndibiis 

 erectis squamaih ad angulmn coronalis, columella, qua- 

 driplicatd, aperttird mhampld, labro vix incrassato ; 

 fidvescefde-spadiced, macidk I'mekque ca-staneis midniis 

 et angidatis, Kic illic fasciadm dispositk, ornald, colu- 

 mella el apertura fauce axtrantio-carneolk. 



The imperial Volute. Shell obloug-turbinated, very 

 thick, ponderous, spire short, obtusely papillary at 

 the apex, whorls concavely angled round the upper 

 part, crowned with large erect squamate spines at 

 the angle, columella four-plaited, aperture rather 

 large, lip scarcely thickened ; pale fulvous bay, orna- 

 mented with waved and zigzag chestnut spots and 

 lines, disposed here and there in bands, columcUa 

 and interior of the aperture orange-earneKon. 



Lamarck, Anim. sans vert. (Deshayes' edit.) vol. x. p. 385. 



Ilab. Philippine Islands ; Cuming. 



This noble species was originally named Murex Spengle- 

 riatius by Mai'tini, in honour of an eminent amateur of the 

 last eentuiy, and it would have been well, notwithstanding 

 the iiTegular nomenclature of the 'Conchylieu Cabinet,' had 

 Lamarck adopted that name. It was called the ' Grand 

 Foudre Chinois de M. Spengler,' also the ' Chinese Em- 

 peror's Crown,' Corona Imperatork Cldnensium, and ' Die 

 Mogolskrone,' ' The great Mogid's Crown.' It presents 

 little variation of growth and is always more or less pro- 

 minently coronated. 



Species 37. (Mus. Cuming.) 

 VoLUTA scArnA. Vol. .mbquadrato-turbinatd, crassissimd, 

 ponderosd, spird brevissimd, apice obtuse papillari, an- 

 fructibus Irevibtis, superne declivibtis, deinde gibboso-an- 

 gulatis, ad angulum interdum aidem rarissimh tnhercu- 

 latis, colmnelld fortiter qnadriplicatd, callosd, pracipite 

 ad partem superiorem, aperturd siibampld, labro sim- 

 plici, supra subalato ; fulvesceide-spadiced, maculis 

 nebulaiis Uneisque angidato-flexuosis castaneis varii 

 picid, columelld co'rulescente-albd, aperturrr fauce 

 cinereo-fusceacenle tineta. 

 The skiff Volute. Shell somewhat squarely ovate, 

 very thick, ponderous, spire very short, obtusely 

 papillary at the apes, whorls smooth, slanting round 

 the upper part, then gibbously angled, sometimes, 

 but very rarely, tubercled at the angle, columella 

 strongly four-plaited, callous, especially at the upper 

 part, aperture rather large, lip simple, slightly winged 

 above ; light fidvous bay, variously painted with 

 angidarly flexuous lines and clouded blotches, colu- 

 mella bluish white, interior of the ajjerture tinged 

 with ash-brown. 

 Gmelin, Syst. Nat. p. 3468. 



Variety. Volutafasciata, Schubert and Wagner. 

 Eab. Singapore (on the reefs) ; Cuming. 



There is little variation of growth in this well-known 

 species, and the painting, though more or less disposed in 

 lines or blotches, is much of the same character. It has 

 been long known as the ' Skiff ' or ' Boat Volute ' ; Cym- 

 bium Capitis Bona Spei of Martini, and Condole mammil- 

 laire of Davila. 



December, 1840. 



