MERGE. 



Plate I. 



Genus MEROE, Schumacher. 



Testa pleniDiqiie triyoiio-ovatn, intenliim depresse cordn/o- 

 orbicidaris, Sfepissiiiie conipressa, interdiim litmidn, 

 nunc laevigata, nunc concentrice Virata el sulcata, vwr- 

 r/hiihns teiiue dculiculafis, latere aiitico pleriimque lou- 

 ffiore. Area ligaiiientl pecnliariler profuude excavala. 

 Cardo hi-triJeutatus, dente suhamplo aniico. Inipresiio 

 pallii postice sinunta. 



Sliell generally trians'ulavly ovate, sometimes clepressly 

 conlately orbicular, mostly compressed, sometimes 

 tumid, smooth or concentrically ridged and grooved, 

 margins finely denticulated, anterior side generally 

 the longer. Ligamentary area peculiarly deeply ex- 

 cavated. Hinge two- or three-toothed, with a rather 

 large anterior tooth. Impression of the mantle si- 

 nuated posteriorly. 



This genus, less popularly known Ijy the gcueric names 

 Cuiieus and Sunetta, is founded on the Linnrean J^eiius 

 Meroe, a highly characteristic form, diii'ering from all other 

 genera of T'eneridte in the anterior side of the shell being 

 mostly the longer, and in the ligamentary area being sunk 

 into a deeply excavated pit. About a dozen species are 

 known ; two inhabiting Japan, three Australia, and seven 

 the intermediate ocean from the Philippine Islands to 

 (-'hina and Bombay. The Japanese and Australian species 

 belong, curiously enough, to the same peculiar type, — de- 

 pressly cordately orbicular and smooth, with iiainting of 

 richly mottled violet ; whilst the Indian Ocean species are 

 of a quite distinct type, — triangularly ovate, the anterior 

 side being attcnuately produced, mostly concentrically 

 ridged and linearly grooved, with the painting almost in- 

 variably represented by a zigzag textile of livid-purple. 

 All are partially covered hy a thin transparent horny epi- 

 dermis, and all have finely denticulated margins, with the 

 deeply excavated ligamentary pit. 



Species 1 . (Pig. a to e, JIus. Cuming.) 

 Meroe seminud.\. Mer. testa urulo-tr'ujond, compressd, 

 subfecjuiliiteriili, utrbiijne rotundutd, latere autico de- 

 divi-rotuiidalo, carueo-tncted, liridu-ptirpurco relicu- 

 lato-iiiacnlaid, in medio et postire couceiitrice sulcata, 

 autice lavit/atd. 



The SEIHNUDE Mekoe. Shell ovately triangular, com- 

 pressed, nearly equilateral, rounded on both sides, 

 anterior side slopiugly attenuated, Hesh-tinted cream- 

 eoloiir, retieulately blotched with livid-purple, in the 

 middle, and posteriorly, concentrically grooved, an- 

 teriorly smooth. 



Ci/therea seminuda, Philippi, Abbild. uud Beseh. Conch, 

 p. 97. pi. 3. f. 4. 

 I)onax seminuda, Anton. 

 Fenus seminuda, Anton. 

 Meroe seminuda, Sowerby. 

 Cuneus seminudus, Deshayes. 



Ilalj. Molucca Islands. 



The chief peculiarity of this very delicately painted spe- 

 cies consists in the concentric grooves suddenly ceasing 

 on reaching the anterior side of the shell, which is conse- 

 quently smooth. 



Species 2. (Fig. a, 6, Mus. Cuming.) 



i\lEROE MAGNIFIC.\. Mer. testd orbiculari, lentifurmi, 

 compressd, crassa, antice abbmiatd, lavigatd, riolas- 

 cente-chierea, palUde fusco atti violaceo acute lineari- 

 reticulatd, intense purpnreo-violaceo plus minus coneen- 

 trice fasciutd et interrupte. radiatd, epidermide tenui 

 corned versus marffinem indutd. 



The fine Merge. .Shell orbicular, lens-shaped, com- 

 pressed, thick, rather shortened anteriorly, smooth, 

 violet-tinged ash, sharply linearly reticulated with 

 pale-ln-own or violet, more or less concentrically 

 banded and internqitedly rayed with deep purple- 

 violet, covered towards the margin with a thin horny 

 epidermis. 



JIub. Ja]>au. 



This tine species, pre-eminent in size and brilliancy of 

 colouring, might be regarded as a colossal form of .1/. ex- 

 cavatn, from the same locality, b>it no specimens interme- 

 diate in size and general form are at present known to 

 comicct them. It remains to be seen whether the com- 

 pressly attenuated character of the anterior portion of the 

 shell of the hitter species is indicative of an early stage of 

 srowth. 



^Inrch. 1864. 



