120 VOLUTOPSIS. 



The much produced spire and very sliort canal serve to dis- 

 tmguisli this from the preceding species. The egg-capsules, 

 according to Jctlrevs, "are pale orange, either solitary, or two 

 together, and attaclied side by side, not to each other, but to a 

 rather l)road membi'aneous substratum ; they are triangularly 

 oval, the base being the narrowest part, and consist of an outer 

 lihny sheath and an inner and thick fibrous case ; the latter 

 resembles in structure a cocoanut husk; tlie opening is a wide 

 slit at the top. Mr. Howse found six 3'oung in one capsule. 

 Tlie fry are almost cylindrical, and of a dark reddish brown hue. 

 The shell goes by the name of ' long neck ' among the Straithes 

 fishermen." 



Sars has separated this shell from Neptunea^ a})propriating to 

 it the generic name Ghi'ysodomus, Swainson, a name usually con- 

 sidered S3nion3'mous with Neptimea. The distinctive points are, 

 of the shell as stated above, a somewhat different dentition (PL 

 2r>, fig. 16), and operculum (fig. 283). I suppose that these char- 

 acters might be suflicieut for the separation of a group, but the 

 opercula and dentition of so manj^ species of Neptuniinre being- 

 unknown , it is perhaps most advisable to make no separation at 

 present. 



N. CALLORiiTNA, Dall. PI. 40, fig, 287. 



Shell white, solid, smooth, with faint traces of revolving strias; 

 spire acute ; emljryonal Avhorls ver^^ minute, not mammillate ; 

 suture distinct, not channelled ; canal very short, wide, straight; 

 aperture rounded, outer lip thickeued, stronglj^ waved behind ; 

 posterior angle' not acute; whorls, seven evenly taperiug, not 

 iufiated. Leugtli, 2 inches; width, '9 inch. 



St. Paul Island, Behring Sea. 



Found two specimens dead, on Fur Seal Ptookery. The apex 

 alone would distinguish it from any described species. 



The above is Mr. Ball's description. I have not seen it. 



N. IIallit, Dall. PI. 49, fig. 285. 



Suture subcanaliculate, not deej), but very distiuet ; canal 

 rather long (says Dall, but his figure does not show it so). White, 

 covered with a yellow-brown epidermis, with very faint revolving- 

 strife crossing the slightly evident, waved lines of growth. 



Length I'l inch., lat. -8 inch. 



Alaska. 



