MUREX. 



Plate XXIX. 



Species 131. (Mus. Cuming.) 



MuREX NUCULA. Mur. testa oblonyo-ovatd, cramusculd, 

 sexfariam varicosd, varicibm solidis, cosfatis, cosds 

 promiiientibns, interstitiis cancellatk ; albidd ; aper- 

 turd ovatd, canali breviusculo, asceniente recurvo. 



The little nut Murex. Shell oblong-ovate, rather 

 thick, six-varicose, varices solid, ribbed, ribs promi- 

 nent, interstices cancellated ; whitish, aperture ovate, 

 canal rather short, ascending, recm'ved. 



Reeve, Pro. Zool. Soc, 1845. 



Hab. Island of Capul, Philippines-; Cuming. 

 Murex cydostoma var, Sowerby. 



Verj' intimately allied to the Murex cydostoma but is of 

 a more oblong form, and has a recurved ascending canal. 



For Species 132 see Plate XXXIII ; the shell here 

 figured proving, upon fm'ther examination, to be a variety 

 of the Murex cristatus. 



Species 133. (Mus. Belcher.) 



MuKEX GRAVIDUS. Shell globosely fusiform, solid, trans- 

 versely ribbed, ribs approximated, lameUated, a little 

 divergent upon the varices ; five-varicose, varices 

 prominent, pierced with holes posteriorly ; white, 

 banded round the upper part with brown ; aperture 

 oval ; canal rather long, a little ascending, recurved 

 to the left. 

 Hinds, MoUusca Voy. H.M.S. Sulphm-, p. 9. pi. 3. f. 19, 20. 

 Hab. Cape Blanco, west coast of Africa (dredged from the 

 depth of sixty fathoms) ; Hinds. 

 This interesting species may be known by its solid glo- 

 bose form, its close ribbed scidptui'e, and the sinistral 

 prolongation of the canal. 



Species 134. (Mus. Cuming.) 

 Murex octogonus. Mur. testd ovato-fusiformi, spird 

 acumiuatd ; arifractibus superne concavo-depressis, oc- 

 tofariam vel nonafariam varicosis, varidbus aculeatis, 

 adueis eleganter recurvis, duobus basalibua valde pro- 

 minentibus, areis inter varices conccwis, subtiliter lira- 

 tis ; albidd aut fuscescente, liris undique castaneo- 

 fuscis ; aperturd subviolaced. 



The OCTANGULAR Murex. Shell ovately fusiform, spire 

 acimiinated, whorls concavely depressed at the upper 

 part ; eight- or nme-varicose, varices prickly, prickles 

 elegantly recm'ved, two very prominent on each varix 

 at the base, the areas between the varices concave, 

 finely ridged ; whitish or pale broivn, ridges through- 

 out dark chesnut brown ; apertm"e faintly tinged with 

 violet. 



QuoY and gaimard, Voy. de 1' Astrolabe Zool. v.ui. p. 521. 

 pi. 36. f 8, 9. 

 Murex Peruvianus, Sowerby. 



Hab. Bay of Islands, New Zealand ; Quoy and Gaimard. 

 Pacasmayo, coast of Peru ; Cuming. 



An extremely pretty species, encircled throughout with 

 fine dark bro^Tn ridges, which ciu'l up upon the varices in 

 the form of prickly spines. 



Species 135. (Fig. 135. Mus. Said; and Fig. 136. Mus. 

 Cuming.) 



Murex balteatus. Mur. testd ovatd, suhvetdricosd, an- 

 fractibiis superne leviter angulatis, infra angulum cos- 

 tatis, costis fortibus, subdistantibus, per summitatem 

 obsoletii sulcati^ ; septifariam varicosd, varidbus fron- 

 dosis, frondibus e.vimie ramosis, antice sguamis minutis 

 peculiariter calamistratis ; alba, rosacea puldterrinie 

 tindd, frondibus superne aurantio-vel nigricante-ruben- 

 tibus ; aperturd parvd, produdd ; canali bred, plami,- 

 lato, recurvo. 



The belted Murex. Shell ovate, rather ventricose, 

 whorls sUghtly angulated at the upper part, ribbed 

 below the angle, ribs strong, rather distant, obsoletely 

 gi'ooved along the top ; seven-varicose, varices fron- 

 dose, fronds delicately branched, pecidiarly frizzled 

 on the anterior side -ivith minute scales ; white, beau- 

 tifidly tinged \\\i\i pink, fi'onds orange or blackish 

 brown at the upper part ; apertiue small, produced ; 

 canal short, flattened, recm-ved. 



Beck; Sowerby, Pro. Zool. Soc., 1840. 



Hab. Island of Masbate, Philippines (fomid on the coral 

 reefs) ; Cuming. 



The name of " balteatus " was suggested for this beau- 

 tiful species, Ml-. Sowerby infoi-ms us, by Dr. Beck, but 

 for what reason I am at a loss to imagine. 



Auffust 1845. 



