J 4 



NATURAL HISTORY BULLETIN. 



rounded (the last) crossed by eight varices, each bearing a 

 rather long grooved spine at the shoulder and anteriorly about 

 six smaller and less conspicuous spinules, each of which cor- 

 responds to a more or less distinct revolving thread; at the 

 shoulder and behind it there is no revolving sculpture or only 

 faint traces of it; the apical three or four whorls show angu- 

 lar points, rather than spines, which are partly the result of 

 wear; canal rather long, shorter than the spire, with a wreath 

 midway of long recurved spines, each corresponding to a varix; 

 the siphonal fasciole imbricated by the canal-ends of succes- 

 sive resting-stages; pillar white, moderately callous; canal 

 open; outer lip modified by the sculpture, not Urate; operculum 

 pale-brown, kite-shaped, the nucleus at the acute end which is 

 nearly straight; height of shell 40, major diameter exclusive 

 of spines 21 mm. 



Habitat, station 41 in 15 fathoms, eight miles east of Sand 

 Key Florida. 



Types in the University and National Museums. 



This fine species is very distinct, its nearest relative being 

 M. interserratus Sby., which is a much smaller, proportionately 

 less elevated species of a red-brown color with one less varix 

 to the whorl. Both species belong to the same section of the 

 genus. M. interserratus has been obtained from Montserrat, 

 so both may be regarded as belonging to the Antillean fauna. 

 M. fiazi Crosse, for which the sectional name Paziella has 

 been proposed, is probably only a delicate deep-water offshoot 

 from the same stock. 



3f. interserratus has been erroneously referred to the genus 

 Muricidea Swainson (or Murico-psis B. D. and D.) by F. C. 

 Baker (Proc. Rochester Academy of Sciences, vol. 1, p. 172, 

 1891). From Muricidea these species are distinguished by the 

 basal constriction of the last w r horl by which the canal is 

 sharply differentiated, by the edentulous peristome and single 

 prominent wreath of spines about the middle of the canal. As 

 a matter of fact most of the named groups of Murices are so 

 closely connected by intermediate species that sharp lines of 

 differentiation can not be drawn, and the numerous sectional 

 names which have been proposed are not especially useful. 



