178 



NOTE ON VOLUTA BRAZIERI, COX. 

 By Edgar A. Smith, I.S.O. 



Read lOth June, 1904. 



The British Museum has recently acquired the unique type of this 

 species which hitherto formed part of the collection of Dr. J. Cox, of 

 Sydney. On comparing it with the figure and description (Proc. 

 Zool. Soc, 1873, p. 568, pi. xlviii, fig. 8), it was found that the 

 former was almost a caricature, giving but a slight idea of the form 

 of the shell, and ridiculous as regards coloration. On the plate it is 

 stated that the figures were partly drawn by Helena Forde and 

 lithographed by the late Mr. Sowerby. I have little doubt, therefore, 

 but that a badly coloured di'awing of the type was sent from 

 Australia for reproduction. Of one thing, however, I feel quite 

 certain, that Mr. Sowerby was not responsible for such a miserable 

 production. Knowing the accuracy of his drawing and his charac- 

 teristic colouring, it is quite certain that he could not have produced 



such a misleading figure. I am afraid, therefore, that the above- 

 mentioned lady must be held responsible. The copies of this figure 

 by Tryon in the Manual of Conchology and by Sowerby in the 

 Thesaurus Conchyliorum are even more grotesque. Dr. Cox thus 

 described the colour of this shell : " Indistinctly banded about 

 the centre with dark chestnut, ornamented with irregular buff- 

 coloured markings." I should rather describe the shell as of a light- 

 brown colour, mottled irregularly with white, exhibiting upon the 



