CYPRtEA. 



Plate II. 



Species 4. (Mus. Saul.) 



Cypr^ea exusta. Cypr. testa pyriformi-ovatd, antice con- 

 tractd, had lateribusque rotundis, aperturd suiwmosd, 

 extremitate posiicd productd ; dentihus suhtilihus nume- 

 rous hrevihus, uitenoribM plus minusve iritis; colu- 

 rnelltB parte interna cum concavitaie anticd laviffatis ; 

 dorso exuslo-fiisco, obscure fasciato, interdumjlavescen- 

 te, extremitatibus lateribus basiiiue piceo-nigris, dentum 

 hderstitik albidis, columella parte anticd albidd, 



The scokched Cowry. Shell pyriformly ovate, con- 

 tracted anteriorly, base and sides rounded, apertui'e 

 subsinuous, posterior extremity produced ; teeth fine, 

 numerous, short, imier teeth more or less worn, 

 internal portion of the columella, together with the 

 anterior concavity, smooth, back dark bm-nt brown, 

 obscm'ely banded, sometimes yellowish, extremities 

 sides and base pitch-black, interstices between the 

 teeth whitish, anterior portion of the colmncUa 

 whitish. 

 SowEEBY, Conch, nius. Cat. Cypreeadas, No. 35. 



f. 3* . 

 Cypreea talpa exusta, Gray. 



Hal). Red Sea. 



Although the differences between the Ci/prcece talpa and 

 exusta are of so nice a character, they are nevertheless 

 uniform and constant. The distinguishing featm'es of the 

 C. exusta consist in its rounded pyrifonn shape, peculiarly 

 pinched, as it were, at the anterior end, with the posterior 

 extremity more than usually produced under similar in- 

 fluence. The teeth are fine and merely marginal in the 

 outer lip whilst in the anterior concavity of the columella, 

 which is destitute of any colouring matter, and on the in- 

 ner portion, they are completely absorbed or abraded. 

 Another peculiarity in this species is that the dorsal smface 

 is usually of a rich dark biu'nt brown colom-. 



The Ci/praa exusta iii'st made its appearance among a 

 large importation of Cj/praa pantlierina. Some merchants 

 of Alexandria traded to some considerable extent, a few 

 yeai's smce, in the Panther Cowi'y of the Eed Sea ; a num- 

 ber of cases were sent to this coimtry, containing from 

 three to fom- hundred pounds weight of them, and they 

 were publicly sold in the produce market. Amongst these 

 a few of the Cypraa exusta and pulchra were found, but 

 none of the Cijpraa talpa. 



Species 5. (Mus. Saul.) 



Cyprjja talpa. Cypr. testd cyUndraceo-ovatd, oblongd, 

 lateribus angulato-rotundatis, basi subdepressd ; denti- 

 bus parvis, numerosis, iiiterioribns columellam subobUqui 

 et irreijulariter transcurrentihus ; dorso flavescente, 

 obscure bi-trifasciato, extremitatibus lateribus badque 

 exusto-vel iiigricaute-fuscis, deiduvi interstitvis albidis. 



The mole Cowry. Shell cyliucbicaUy ovate, oblong, 

 sides angidarly rounded, base rather depressed ; teeth 

 running somewhat obliquely and UTcgularly across 

 the cohuuella ; dorsal surface pale yeUow, obscurely 

 two or tlu-ee-bauded, extremities sides and base dark 

 burnt or blackish brown, interstices between the teeth 

 whitish. 

 LiNNJius, Syst. Nat. (13th edit.) p. 1174. 



Hab. Eastern Seas. 



This species wiU be found upon comparison to differ 

 materially from the preceding in form. The Oypraa ex- 

 usta is of a roimded pyi'iform shape, contracted towards 

 the anterior extremity ; the Cypreea talpa is of an oblong 

 cybndi-ical form with the base just sufficiently flattened to 

 give a slight angular character to the sides. The outer 

 teeth are not worn away, but very neatly developed across 

 the entti-e surface of the columella ; the spii'c of the Cy- 

 preea talpa is less concealed by the superposition of the 

 basal coat of enamel ; the enamelling is altogether lighter, 

 and there are many appearances in the shell which seem 

 to indicate that the calcifying properties of its inhabitant 

 are of a less energetic character than those of the Cypreea 

 exusta. 



It may be as weU perhaps to notice that in the young 

 of tliis species, the shell is entirely yellow, with obscure 

 brown-tinged bands ; the rich basal coating of dark ena- 

 mel is the last deposit in its formation. 



Species 6. (Pig, a and b Mus. Cuming.) 



Cypr/EA cervus. Cypr. testd oblongo-ovatd, tenuiculd, 

 ventricosd, aperturd latiusculd, antice patentiore, extre- 

 mitatibus anticis peculiariter plano-productis ; fulvo- 

 fuscdy macidis parmziscidis numerosis, raro ocellatis, 

 oriiatd ; denlibus nigricarde-fusois, internis confertis, 

 suhirreyularibus ; iidus violaced. 



The stag Cowry. Shell oblong-ovate, rather thin, ven- 



November 1845. 



