174 VERMETUS, 



V. FLAVESCENS, Carp. PI. 48, fig. 18. 



" Shell externally closely allied to V. subaancellatus, from 

 which it is principally known by the smaller size and stronger 

 sculpture. Internally it most resembles V. cochlidium, from 

 which it ma}^ be distinguished b}' the absence of keels on the 

 upper lamina through a large part of the length ; and by the 

 general absence of tlie third plait, which, when it appears, is 

 like another fold of the lower lamina in the same direction." 



— MiJRCH. 



Sicily. 

 Section Aletes, Carpenter, 1857. 



" The operculum seems to me only different from that of 

 Vermetus in size, in consequence of the larger calibre of the 

 shell. The variet}' of Vermetus conicus, Dillvv., would be 

 referable to this group, if I had not seen one and the same 

 specimen successively in the different whorls change from 

 Vermetus (Petaloconchiis) to Thylacodes, and ultimately to 

 Aletes.''^ — MoRCH. Yet Morch himself admits these subdivisions 

 and the distinction of species by small difierences in the 

 internal shell. 



V. CENTIQUADRUS, Valeuc. PI. 49, fig. 35; PI. 50, figs. 36-40. 



Laterally attached, spirally twisted, earlier whorls rather 

 narrow, rapidly increasing, the last wide, spread out and com- 

 pressed at the margin ; light yellowish brown, with obscure 

 narrow lines, earlier whorls dark brown, the interstices of the 



lirte impressed punctate. 



Panama to Gulf of California. 



" The- first whorls are of a dark brown color and strongly' 

 sculptured with longitudinal liroe and transverse ruga? exceed- 

 ingly like V. contortus, Carp., which I suppose to be only a form 

 of this shell, judging from analogy with V. conicus, Dillw. The 

 columella shows one exceedingly feeble median lira, scarcely to 

 be seen except in a very favorable light, and two very conspicu- 

 ous lateral lirae which seem to answer to the laminae in V. 

 macrophragma, but they must perhaps be more properly re- 

 garded as the margins of a thin layer covering all the interior 

 of the whorls, except the larger median part of the columella, 

 which shows a slight difference in color." Animal violaceous, 



