MELANIA.— Plate XII. 



The Erebus Melania. Shell oblong, brown-black, 

 whorls few, broad, somewhat rounded, obsoletely de- 

 cussately ridged, smooth, linearly grooved at the upper 

 part ; aperture small, slightly effused at the base. 



Hab. ? 



Very simply characterized, but not agreeing with either 



of the Borneo and Western African species to which it is 



nearly allied. 



Species 76. (Mus. V. d. Busch.) 



Melania Charpentieri. Mel. testa, pyramidali-couicd, 

 subobesd, intense nigra, nitente, anfractibus octo ad 

 novem, longitudinaliter plicato-costatis, spiraliter dense 

 liratis, liris inter costas plus minus obsoletis, suturis 

 subcanaliculatis ; aperturd ovatd, basi subeffusd, co- 

 lumella subexcavatd. 



Charpentier's Melania. Shell pyramidally conical, 

 rather stout, deep-black, shining, whorls eight to nine, 

 longitudinally plicately ribbed, spirally densely ridged, 

 the ridges being more or less obsolete between the 

 ribs, sutures rather channelled ; aperture ovate, sub- 

 effused at the base, columella slightly excavated. 



Bunker, MS. in Mus. Cuming. 



Hah. Bio Branca, Guiana. 



Well characterized by its pyramidally conical form, and 

 by the peculiarity of the spiral corded ridges being more 

 or less obsolete on crossing the interstices between the lon- 

 gitudinal ribs. 



Species 77. (Mus. V. d. Busch.) 



Melania Boykiniana. Mel. testa ovatd, solidiuscud, 

 nigra, anfractibus paucis, pyramidali-declivibus, deinde 

 abrupte angulatis, spiraliter nodoso-liratis, liris ad an- 

 gulum tuberculatis ; aperturd oblongo-ovatd, ad basin 

 subeffusd. 



Boykin's Melania. Shell ovate, rather solid, black, 

 whorls few, pyramidally sloping, then abruptly angled, 

 spirally nodosely ridged, ridges ou the angle tubercled ; 

 aperture oblong-ovate, somewhat effused at the base. 



Lea, Observations, vol. iii. pi. 66. f. 59. 



Hab. ? 



Distinguished by a pyramidally sloping form and beaded 

 necklace sculpture. 



Species 78. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Melania decollata. Mel. testa sublereti-ovatd, nigra, 



anfractibus paucis, declivi-convexis, lavibus ; aperturd 



oblongo-ovatd, basi subeffusd. 

 The decollated Melania. Shell somewhat teretely 



ovate, black, whorls few, slopingly convex, smooth ; 



aperture oblong-ovate, rather effused at the base. 

 Lamarck, Anim. sans vert. vol. viii. p. 431. 

 Hab. Guinea. 



It is by no means certain that this shell is truly La- 

 marck's M. decollata, but as it has been so named with 

 some authority iu Mr. Cuming's collection, I give it as such. 



