143 



it resembles armifera, nob., more than any otber species, but that 

 shell is armed with tubercles and ornamented by colored lines ; its 

 suture also is only a simple impressed line. 



Melania laqueata. — Shell oblong : spire longer than the 

 aperture, elevated, conic, acute : volutions, moderately convex, with 

 about seventeen regular, elevated, equal, equidistant costse on the 

 superior half of each volution extending from suture to suture, and 

 but little lower, and becoming obsolete on the body whirl : suture 

 moderately impressed : sinus obsolete. 



Length, four-fifths of an inch. 



This species was found by Dr. Troost in Cumberland River. 

 Aside from a difterenee in form, it may be distinguished from can- 

 cellata, nob., and catenaria, nob., by being altogether destitute of 

 elevated revolving lines. The young shell is carinated. I am in- 

 debted to Mr. Lesueur for a specimen. 



Melania obovata. — Shell subovate, dark brown or blackish ; 

 volutions nearly five : spire remarkably rounded, short : body whir! 

 with a very obtuse, slightly indented band or undulation a little 

 above the middle : aperture more than twice the length of the 

 spire, narrow : labium polished, with a callus above : labrum not 

 projecting near the base, subrectilinear from the shoulder to the 

 basal curve, very convex at the shoulder ; base rounded and with- 

 out indentation. 



Animal. — Foot rounded, or rather longer than wide, equally 

 rounded before and behind ; above yellowish-white, lineated with 

 black lines. 



Inhabits Kentucky River, and some other tributaries of the 

 Ohio. Length, three-fourths ; breadth, nearly half an inch. Var. 

 a. Indented band almost obsolete. 



The spire, and even a part of the body whirl in old shells, are 

 sometimes remarkably eroded, as in the M. (anculosa) pr serosa, nob., 

 and,indeed, the general appearance is such, that at a little distance, 

 and without particular observation, it might be readily mistaken 

 for that shell ; but the form is less globular and the aperture is 

 altogether different. I found it very abundant in Kentucky River, 

 in company with that shell and other species of Melania. I also 

 observed it at the Falls of the Ohio. Lesueur and Troost obtained 

 specimens in Fox River of the Wabash. When young, the undu- 



