236 SPECIES OF THE SYSTEMA. 
that the species is a native of Lapland. The shell has conse- 
quently been termed Indica by Sowerby; it had likewise been 
previously delineated as V. interpuncta by Martyn, but in 
profound ignorance of its earlier appellation. Although the 
paintings in the ‘ Universal Conchologist’ are very beautiful, 
and many of the species were new to science, it is still question- 
able how far the names of one who has indiscriminately dared 
to fabricate new appellations for every shell he has delineated, 
either regardless or unconscious of what had been done by his 
predecessors, may be deserving of precedence. 
Voluta Sethtoptea. 
Nearly all the crowned Melon-shells known at that period 
were included in the synonymy attached to this species in the 
twelfth edition of the ‘Systema.’ The engravings there referred 
to have been thus distributed by modern writers : 
M. Atthiopicus, Rumph. pl. 31, f. AA—Gualt. pl. 29, f. L— 
Argenv. pl. 20, f. l.— Seba, pl. 65, f. 4, 115 pl. 66, f£. 6, 9; 
M. tessellatus, Seba, pl. 65, f. 10. 
M. diadema, Gualt. pl. 29, f. H.— Seba, pl. 65, f. 12; 
pl. 66, &e. 
M. armatus, Rumph. pl 31, f. B (teste Desh.).—Seba, pl. 65, 
f. 2 (teste Lam.). 
Of these the two latter are excluded by the “ quadriplicata”’ 
of the diagnosis; and as the second was not comprised in the 
earlier synonymy (neither in the tenth edition nor in the 
‘Museum Ulric’) naturalists have very properly regarded the 
first as the intended typical form, not only because it solely 
agreed with the described features, but because, also, of the 
great preponderance of its representations, and the name itself 
having been derived from that previously applied to it by Argen- 
ville. The rude figure in Bonanni (pt. 3, pl. 1, copied in Lister’s 
‘ Historie,’ pl. 797) has been ascribed to tessellatus, but, judging 
from the comparative erectness of its spines, approaches nearer 
to the shell delineated in Sowerby’s ‘ Thesaurus’ (pl. 82, f. 14) 
as a spotted variety of dithiopicus. The Melo Indicus was 
eventually regarded as a variety!; for “ Variat absque corona” 
