CONUS.— Plate XIV. 



sellated with arched spots of white and brown, apex 



tinged with rose. 

 Lamarck, Anim. sans vert., vol. vii. p. 470 ; Enc. Meth., 



pi. 335. f. 3. 

 Sowerby, Conch. Illus., f. 21. 

 Hab. Bays of Panama and Montija, West Columbia 



(found in coarse sand at the depth of from seven to 



eleven fathoms) ; Cuming. 



Considerable doubt is still entertained by collectors as 

 to whether the shell here figured is the true C. vittatus 

 of Lamarck, on account of its apparent dissimilitude both 

 with his description and the figure to which he refers in 

 Knorr's ' Vernugen.' The fact is, that Lamarck not 

 only described shells in many instances from worn or 



polished specimens (as his collection, now in the pos- 

 session of M. Delessert, fully testifies), but referred to 

 bad figures. This was, however, from necessity, not 

 from choice ; Lamarck detected in his worn and imper- 

 fect specimen of the shell, here figured in its perfection, 

 an indication of characters different from those of any 

 hitherto described species, and he felt confidence in 

 doing what none but the most experienced should ha- 

 zard. The attentive consideration which has been given 

 by modern travellers to the collection and preservation 

 of shells in a state of perfection, enables us to illustrate 

 the species with a degree of accuracy hitherto unknown ; 

 and it is especially pleasing to be able to verify and 

 elaborate, as in the present instance, the surmises of an 

 earlier writer. 



