236 VOLYULA. 



Dall gives the following notes upon this form ; but his INIediter- 

 ranean oxytuta are evidently typical acuminata, and the stout form 

 from northern Europe is what I have called var. brevis : "In 

 examining the Jeffreys collection I find this species represented from 

 the Mediterranean from various collectors, and from Adventure 

 Bank, Porcupine Expedition. The British and all the northern 

 specimens, and one Mediterranean lot, are of another species, shorter 

 and stouter, which I take to be the genuine acH?ntv*ato of Bruguiere. 

 It in its turn differs somewhat from the Crag fossil which has 

 been called by the same name, but perhaps not specifically. I have 

 not seen any specimen of Morch's shell authentically identified, but 

 his comparative remarks render it highly probable that he had the 

 V- oxytuta in view." 



Volvula persimilis Morch is referred to T"^ oxytata by Dall, with a 

 question mark. If identical, it has priority. The original descrip- 

 tion here follows: 



V. persimilis Morch. Differs from V. angustata A. Ad. in the 

 shell being very subtly spirally striated, hardly visible under a lens ; 

 more solid ; columella quite oblique, with thick straight fold. 

 Differs from V. acuta in the subcylindrical shell. 



Alt. 4^, diam. If mill. 



V. ACUTA Orbigny. PI. 60, figs. 12, 13. 



Shell oblong, attenuated in front and behind, thin, white, smooth, 

 transversely striated in front, acute behind, not perforated, trans- 

 versely and longitudinally striated ; aperture narrow, sinuous, sud- 

 denly dilated in front; columella subacute. 



Alt. 2, diam. -75 mill. (Orb.). 



West Indies, north to Hatteras. 



Bulla acuta Orb., Moll. Cuba, i, p. 126, pi. 4, f il-2().— Volvula 

 acuta Dall, Blake Gastr., p. 50. — Volvula recta Morch (not Orb.), 

 Malak. Bl. xxii, p. 179. — ? Volvula ininuta Bush, Trans. Conn. 

 Acad, vi, p. 469, pi. 45, f. 11, 1885. 



This species, when young, seems to me indistinguishable from V. 

 minuta Bush, so far as the shells are concerned. I have not seen the 

 soft parts. Northern specimens are a little yellower and more 

 earthy than those from the Antilles, as in the case of many other 

 species having a wide geographical range. Miss Bush's figure is 



