NO. 1704. .1 rOLLECTIOX OP (SHELLS FROM PERU— BALL. 167 



interior livid purple brown or whitish; pillar with three prominent 

 plaits; no operculum. Species of no economic importance. 



This species is one of a group of black Mitras characteristic of the 

 west coast of the two Americas from California to Valparaiso. These 

 shells have been generally confounded together on account of their 

 general similarity, and the fact that specimens obtained are usually 

 in poor condition, the periostracum at least being almost invariably 

 defective. 



SOLENOSTEIRA FUSIFORMIS Blainville. 



Plate 22, fig. 3. 



Purpura fusiformis Blainville, Nouv. Ann. du Museum, Paris, vol. 1, 1832, 

 p. 31, pi. 11, fig. 7. 

 Dredged in Sechura Bay, west of Matacaballa, in about 5 fathoms. Also found at 

 the Chincha Islands on the shores. 



Distribution. — From Panama southward to the Chincha Islands. 



Shell ovate, turrited, ventricose, white, covered wdth a thick 

 lamellose dark olive periostracum; whorls convex, carinated, tuber- 

 culous above; the tubercles elevated and compressed; aperture 

 ovate, white; columella smooth; base narrowly umbilicated; canal 

 short, flaring. Operculum elongate mth an apical nucleus. 



Tliis shell has much similarity to the Thais Jciosquiforrnis , with 

 which it has very generally been associated. It can be distinguished 

 by the absence of the lamellose sutural band of the Thais and the 

 entirely distinct operculum. 



COLUMBELLA PAYTENSIS Lesson. 



Columbella paytensis Lesson, Voy. Coquille, vol. 2, 1830, pt. 1, p. 402. — Sowerby, 

 Thes. Conch., Columbella, p. 116, pi. 36, figs. 36-37. 

 Dredged in Sechura Bay west of Matacaballa, in about 5 fathoms. Also obtained 

 at Lobos de Afuera Island. 



Distribution. — Central American coast southward to Sechura Bay, 

 and at the Galapagos Islands. 



Shell small, stout, with a short spire and narrow aperture; whorls 

 broadly channeled below the sutures; chestnut brown, more or less 

 dotted with wliite; outer lip internally denticulated, a few tubercles 

 on the pillar; aperture within whitish or purple; length about 25 mm. 



ANACHIS RUGOSA Sowerby. 



Columbella rugosa Sowerby, Proc. Zool. Soc. of London, for 1832, p. 115. — 

 KiENER, Icon., Columbella, 1839, p. 46, pi. 16, fig. 4, 1839 (as C. bicolor 

 Kiener). 

 On oysters, at Matapalo, near Capon. 



Distribution. — Gulf of California southward to Paita, Peru. 

 Shell small, ovate, tuberculate, plicate or rudely ribbed axially, 

 the ribs only developed on the upper half of the body whorl; whole 



