RISSOA. 77 



shelving of the upper part of the volutions, and the more 

 sudden slope of the lower portion ; moreover, the whorls, 

 especially the last, are apt to become subscalariform, sub- 

 angulately jutting out a little from the base of the preceding 

 turn. The longitudinal increase of the lower whorls of the 

 spire, which scarcely occupies more than a third of the 

 total length, and is composed of five more or less rounded 

 coils, is rather quick ; the turns themselves are short, 

 except the penult, whose breadth does not much exceed 

 twice its length. The apex is more or less acute. The 

 body, which is simply convex above, is rather produced 

 and a little attenuated below ; its basal declination is 

 neither flattened nor abrupt. 



The aperture, which is quite as long as the remainder of 

 the shell, is oval-subpyriform, devoid of sculpture, contract- 

 ed and slightly subsinuated above, rounded and a little 

 patulous below. The throat is smooth, and the lips con- 

 tinuous ; the outer one is acute, straightish above, yet well 

 arcuated below ; a linear indentation, but no distinct 

 inubilical chink, is for the most part visible behind the 

 straightish pillar. 



Of this beautiful species, four living specimens (two of 

 which were unfortunately lost) were taken by Mr. Hanley, 

 from under large masses of stone at St. Helier's, in Jersey, 

 by wading into pools at very low water. The larger 

 examples were nearly a quarter of an inch long, and almost 

 two lines broad. 



It is a South-European form, ranging through the 

 Mediterranean, where it lives immediately below the edge 

 of the sea, and dead shells are abundantly thrown ashore 

 on the sand. 



