460 CONID^. 



The outer lip, nhicli is arched and very prominent, is 

 guarded externally by a very stout varix-like rib, which 

 attenuating anteriorly, gives a somewhat expanding look to 

 the base, or lower extremity of the aperture ; its posterior 

 sinus is a mere indention, being rounded and very shallow. 

 The inner lip is broad, and not very concave at its edge : 

 the pillar lip is a little reflected. Tli« largest example 

 we have seen, measured nearly three-quarters of an inch 

 in length, and was a quarter of an inch broad. 



The animal (of which we have given a figure from a 

 drawing by Mr. Alder) has been very fully described by 

 Mr. Clark. It is white, with flaky specks. The head is 

 compressed and narrow, with diverging tentacula, which 

 are " short, setose, with the eyes on attached, thick 

 offsets at the external points at about two-thirds of 

 their length ; the remaining portion is very short." The 

 foot is rather short, rounded, and sometimes emarginate 

 behind, subtruncate and sub-auriculatcd in front. The 

 operculum is " strong, very elongated, oval, pale, corneous, 

 and formed of unguiculated segments." Mr. Clark has 

 associated this species with the true Murices, on what 

 appear to us insuflicient grounds. We have not been 

 able to examine its teeth, but feel confident that the 

 dentition will bear out our view of its position. 



We have taken this species on the south and west 

 coasts of England, in various depths of water, from five to 

 thirty fathoms (E. F.) ; alive among rocks at Torbay, 

 and dead at Weymouth (S.H.); Bristol Channel (Jeffreys); 

 Clyde (Smith) ; Hebrides (Barlee) ; Frith of Forth (E. F.) ; 

 on each side of Ireland (Thompson) ; Bantry and Galway 

 (Barlee). It ranges to the Mediterranean, and is, 

 probably, essentially a Lusitanian type. 



