Mr. Swainson on Melania Setosa. 399 



Of this pretty and interesting addition to the list of British 

 shells, only three specimens have yet been found, for one of 

 which I am indebted to the kindness of my friend, Mr. John D. 

 Humphreys of Cork, a very assiduous and intelligent Concho- 

 logist, by whom it was first pointed out as a distinct species. 

 Of the species of Buccinum hitherto described, it appears te 

 approach most nearly to the B. Norwegicum ; but from this it 

 amply differs in its less elongated form, in the absence of the 

 grooves which that shell possesses in addition to the striae, in the 

 regular convexity of its whorles, which are not flattened at the top, 

 and in the smoothness of its columella. 



The whole of the specimens were alive when brought to Mr. 

 Humphreys, whose name I have commemorated in the specific 

 appellation. They exhibit slight vestiges of an epidermis, which 

 seems however to have been rubbed off by the fishermen, prob- 

 ably with the design of rendering the shell more attractive.* 



Art. XL VIII. Observations on Melania Setosa, in reply to 

 Mr. Gray, by William Swainson, Esq. F.R. and 

 L.S. M.W.S. 8f C . 



fin a letter addressed to the Editors of the Zoological Journal, 15 Aug. 1824.] 



Gentlemen, 



In the last number of the Zoological Journal, I perceive you 

 have given insertion to a paper by Mr. J. E. Gray, professing to 

 be " On the Structure of Melania Setosa;" but which, in reality, 

 is intended to criticize my account of that shell, recently pub- 

 lished. 



The spirit which pervades this paper, I am sorry to see is, dia- 

 metrically opposite to that liberal and courteous tone of inquiry 

 which alone belongs to the true votaries of science ; while the 



* Since the above was sent to press, I have received several specimens of 

 this Shell from the coast of Newfoundland, which shew scarcely any vestiges 

 of the brown bands. G. B. S. 



