Mr. Gray's Monograph on the Cj/prceidce. 381 



44. Cypraa tabescens. — The Rotten Cowry. 



Testa oblongo-elliptica, subcylindrica, subumbllicata, albldo- 

 caerulescente, interrupte fusco trifasciata, punctisque fulvis nebu- 

 lat^; basi albi ; labro marginato, supra fusco maculato; dentibus 

 approximatis ; columella concava. 



" Cypraea tabescens. Solander's Mss."" Dillwyn R. S. 463. (1) 



Cypraea stolida. i3. Gmelin, 3417. (1.) 



Cypraea n. 26. Schroeter Einl.j. 141. 



Cypraea teres. Gmelin 3405. (2.) Schreiber's Conch. 116. 

 Dillxoyn R. S. 445. 



Cypraea, n. 110. Schroeter Einl.y 161.(2.) 



Icon. Bonanni Recall. Mus, Kirch, i.ii. 237. Martini '].{. 

 f. 294. 295. ! (1.) Schroeter Eiiil. j. t. 1. f. 7. (2.) Rumphius 

 t. 39. f. F ? Pet. Jnib. t. 16. f. 13 ? 



Inhabits. Mus. Nost. 



Shell oblong elliptical, nearly cylindrical, blueish-whlte, with 

 three broken fulvous brown bands, of which the anterior is sim- 

 ple, the central one double, each formed of sn:ail square spots, and 

 the hinder one formed of oblong oblique spots, and clouded with 

 fulrous brown specks ; spire small, slightly concave, covered ; the 

 base sub-cylindrical, while; the edge white, with a few brown 

 spots on the upper part ; the edge of the outer lip aud front ex- 

 tremities margined. Base rounded convex ; aperture rather large ; 

 teeth of the inner lip small, rather close ; columella concave, and 

 plaited the whole length ; outer lip sinuous, teeth large, close, 

 slightly extending rib-like over the lip, inside purple. Axis -t' , 

 diameter -^ of an inch. 



The disposition of the colouring of this species is very like that 

 bf C. interrupta, but the central band alone is double, and it is of 

 a darker hue than in that species, from which it also differs, in 

 being larger and more cylindrical ; in the outer lip being acutely 

 margined, and sinuated. From the next species it differs in the 

 concavity of the columella, and in the teeth of the outer lip being 

 smaller and scarcely extended over it, as well as in the spire, 

 which is smaller and concave, instead of extended and flat. 



I had this shell from the collection of Dr. Coombs, under tlte 

 name of C. teres ; the description of it agrees with that of C. ta^ 



