87 



liratd, liris irregularihus erectis, interruptis ; octofariam varicosd, 

 varicibus frondosis, frondibus alternis vel paucioribus elato-ramo- 

 sis, spinosis, basalibus longioribus ; albd, frondibus lirisque aterri- 

 mis, labri columellari parte superiori nigro tinctd ; canali brevi- 

 usculo. 



Hab. ? 



Three species appear to have been confounded hitherto under the 

 common title of Murex radix, which, though closely approximating, 

 may be separated without difficulty with a little caieful discriraina- 

 tion. The true Murex radix is a round, particularly solid, heavy 

 shell, •with a short though sharply acuminated spire with never less 

 than ten varices, in vvhich the fronds are numerous, somewhat late- 

 rally compressed, comparatively short and sharp-pointed. The spe- 

 cies described by Dr. Philippi under the title of Murex nigritus has 

 but eight or nine varices, and the fronds are not branched ; those on 

 the upper angle of the -vvhorl being tubercularly sąuamate, those in 

 the middle flat and very obscure, •vvhilst those at the base are long 

 and horn-shaped. In the species under consideration the shell is of 

 somewhat light structure, and the fronds are large, open and flowery. 



MuREx TRiFORMis. MuT. tcstd trigono-ovūtd, crassiusculd, trans- 

 versim liratd et corrugatd, tuberculis duobus aut pluribus inter 

 varices ; trifariam varicosd, varicibus laminato-fimbriatis, superrie 

 excavato-sinuatis ; ferrugineo-fuscd ; aperturd ovatd, superne si- 

 nuatd. 

 Hab. New Holland. 



This shell, •vvhich Mr. Sowerby thought to be a variety of the 

 Murex acanthropterus, is of a rude solid structure and dark rūsty 

 brown colour. 



. MuREX PELLUcimis. Mur. testd trigono-fusiformi, tenui, trans- 



'^ veršini liratd, pulcherrimi sguamatd, inter varices tuberculatd; 



trivaricosd, varicibus obliguis, latissime et eximie alatis ; pellucido- 



albd ; aperturd parvd, labro intus nodoso. 



Hab. Island of Bantayan, Philippines (found upon a coral bottom 



at the depth of seven fathoms) ; Cuming. 



Mr. Sowerby has rather incautiously referred this shell to the Mu- 

 rex trigonularis of Lamarck, which Mr. Gray considers to be merely 

 a worn specimen of the Murer acanthropterus, and M. Kiener one 

 of the Murex phyllopterus. The shell under consideration differs 

 essentially from both of these, and the characters which it presents 

 are not at all in accordance with Lamarck's description of Murex 

 trigonularis. 



' * MuREX ossEUS. Mur. testd oblongo-ovatd, subfusiformi, lavius- 

 culd, inter varices fortiter tuberculatd ; trivaricosd, varicibus fim- 

 briato-laminatis, superne f alcatis ; albd, castaneo-fusco hic illic 

 tinctd ; aperturd peculiariter parvd, ovatd. 



Hab. ? 



Murex pinniger is perhaps the nearest allied species to this, though 

 of very diiferent form . 



