MUREX. 



Plate XVII. 



Species 67. (Mus. Norris.) 

 MuREX CRISPUS. Mur. testa ovato-pyriformi, Iramversm 

 Uratd, Uris prominentibus, alteniis majorihiis, spirts 

 suturis plauo-depressis ; multwaricosd, varicibus ad de- 

 cenis, confertis, squamis subobtusis brevibus compressis 

 imdique armatis ; virescente-albd, squamis lirisque ni- 

 gricante-fuscis ; canali breviiiscido. 

 The crisped Murex. Shell ovately pyritbrra, trans- 

 versely ridged, ridges promineut, alternate ridges the 

 larger, sutures of the spire flatly depressed ; many- 

 varicose, varices about ten to a whorl, close-set, anned 

 throughout with short rather obtuse compressed 

 scales ; greenish white, scales and ridges blackish 

 brown ; canal rather short. 

 Broderip, Pro. Zool. Soc., 1833. 



Hub. Pacasmayo, coast of Peru (found on a reef at a depth 

 of about twenty-live fathoms, twelve mOes from the 

 shore) ; Cuming. 

 Only two or three specimens of this very rare and re- 

 markable species appear to have been yet discovered. 



Species 68. (Mus. Taylor.) 



-MuRE.x St.\inforthii. Mur. testa globoso-ovatd, subpy- 

 riformi, traiisversim Uratd, liri-s aiiyustis, yraiiosin, in- 

 terstitiis corrugatis ; septifariam varicosd, varicibus 

 de)isissimefrondosi^,frondibus brevibus covfertis, acu- 

 tissime muricato-ramosis ; albidd vel aurantio-fusces- 

 cente,j'rondibus lirisque nigricaiite-fuscis, columelld et 

 apertura fauce vivide aurantiis ; aperturd ovatd, labro 

 crenato ; cattali breviusculo. 

 Stainforth's Murex. Shell globosely ovate, somewhat 

 pyriform, transversely ridged, ridges narrow, gi-anose, 

 interstices wrinkled ; seven-varicose, varices unusually 

 thickly frondose, fronds short, close-set, very sharply 

 prickly branched ; white or orange-brown, fi'onds and 

 ridges blackish brown, columeOa and interior of the 

 aperture bright orange ; apertm'e ovate, lip crenated ; 

 canal rather short. 

 Reeve, Pro. Zool. Soc, 1843. 

 Hob. North coast of New Holland ; H.M.S. Beagle. 



I had the pleasure of describing tliis very characteristic 

 species about three years since from a specimen in the ca- 

 binet of Mr. Inwood, now in the possession of Mr. Burt, 

 the only one at that time known. Several examples have 

 been since brought from New Holland by H.il.S. Beagle, 

 but none with the beautiful ramose structure of the varices 

 more fully developed than in the original specimen. Each 

 varix is composed of a number of very close-set prickly 

 fi'onds, sometimes one or two successive layers of them. 



whicli from their delicate structure appear to become very 

 soon eroded. No specimens of this shell have yet been 

 seeu without the back varices being more or less destroyed. 



Species 69. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Murex radix. Mur. testd globosd, crassissimd, solidd, 

 spird brevi, acumiruitd, fransversim Uratd, Uris inaqua- 

 Ubus ; inuUivaricosd, varicibus ad decenis muricato- 

 squamatis, squamis brevibus, soUdis, aUeriiis majoribus ; 

 albd, squamis aterrimis ; canaU brevi. 



The root Murex. Shell globose, very thick, solid, spire 

 short, acuminated, transversely ridged, ridges unerjual; 

 many-varicose, varices about ten to a whorl, prickly 

 squamate, scales short, solid, alternate ones the larger ; 

 white, scales jet black; canal short. 



Gjielin, Syst. Nat., p. 3527. 



Hab. Bay of Cai'accas, West Colombia (found on mud 

 banks at low water); Cuming. 



This species may be distinguished by its massive struc- 

 ture, round globose form, and by the numerous varices 

 characterised by the compressed stunted gi'owth of the 

 scales. 



Species 70. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Murex nitidus. Mur. testd ovato-pyriformi, tramversim 

 Uratd, Uris valdi ituFquaUbus ; septifariam. vel octo- 

 fariam varicosd, varicibus squamatis, squamis eloiigatis, 

 erectis, muricatis ; albd, squamis nigerrimo-fuscis, ba.si 

 fuscis, Uris nigris etfusck ; aperturd siihparvd. 



The neat Murex. Shell ovately pyriform, transversely 

 ridged, ridges very unequal ; seven- or eight-varicose, 

 varices squamate, scales elongated, erect, prickly ; 

 white, scales very black brown, brown at the base, 

 ridges black and brown ; apertm-e rather small. 



Broderip, Pro. Zool. Soc, 1S33. 



Hah. Guacomayo, Central America (found on the coral 

 reefs at low water) ; Cuming. 



This species was originally described by Mr. Broderip 

 from a young prettily fiUeted specimen, of which there is 

 a representation in Sowerby's ' Conchological Illustrations,' 

 Murex, Fig. 4. It was considered at that time to be 

 unique, though !Mr. Sowerby pronounced it to be " proba- 

 bly a variety of the Murex princeps in a young state. 



The fine full grown shell here figured was obtained by 

 Mr. Cuming in nearly the same locality as the small spe- 

 cimen ; other examples since come to hand show their spe- 

 cific connection, and the species now proves to be distinct 

 from the Murex radix in all stages of growth. 



June 1S4.5. 



