176 SHELLS OF LOWER CALIFORNIA— STEARNS. volxvii. 



Collected hereby Fisher; previously received by me from the islands 

 in all stages of growth, Harpa rosea, with which this Gulf shell is 

 sometimes confounded, is an African species, which in maturity nearly 

 always exhibits the rose-|)ink color which is generally confined to the 

 earlier stages of H. crenata; in young shells of the latter it is appar- 

 ently a constant character. The ribs in crenata are much less developed 

 than in the other Harps; fresh living shells are frequently met with of 

 a dull reddish-ashen surface, but very slightly enameled, while the 

 delicate waved markings are nearly obsolete. Highly colored and 

 glossy individuals are very beautiful, though even in such examples 

 the enamel is less brilliant than in most of the species. Carpenter (in 

 B. A. Eeport, 1803, p. 122), referring to the prices of certain West Ameri- 

 can shells as noted in the British Museum copy of the "Tankerville 

 catalogue," 1825, quotes H. crenata 45s. = $11.25, and Conns regius 

 ( = C. ])rinceps) is given at £5 5s. = $26.25. The peculiar Lucina 

 {Milt.ha) Childreni Gray, a form that is rare even to this day, is quoted 

 at £10 10s. = $52.50. 



Family MARGINELLIDiE. 

 VOLVARINA VARIA, S o w e r b y. 



One example. Mulege Bay (No. 12260, U. S. N. M.). 



Although Fisher's collection contained only one, a dead shell, it is 

 not an uncommon form from the Gulf region. It it credited by Carpen- 

 ter to Cape St. Lucas and to the West Indies. 



Family Volutib^. 



VOLUTA (P:N.ETA) CUMINGII, Kioderii). 

 4- E. Pederseni, Verrili.. 



Several specimens. San Lucas Cove (No. 46380, TT. S. N. M.). 



Mr. Fisher collected many examples of this interesting form at the 

 above place, which well illustrate the differentiation between the 

 mature and adolescent stages of growth. Numerous specimens col- 

 lected by various j^arties or j^rocured from sailors employed in the Gulf 

 trade especially during the Franco-Mexican war, when the commerce 

 between San Francisco and west Mexican Gulf ports was at its height, 

 have passed under my examination. Prof. Verrili many years ago 

 described U. Pederseni front specimens collected by Capt. Pederseu, but 

 I am inclined to regard it as only a variety of Cumingii. Voluta 

 Cumingii has since been detected as far north as Magdalena Bay (No. 

 102548, U. S. N. M.) by Mr. C. H. Townsend, of the U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission. 



Family Turbinbllid^. 



MELONGENA (SOLENOSTEIRA) MODIFICATA, Reeve. 

 i= Sii)honalia modificaia, Reeve, and of authors. 



Many specimens. 



La Paz; San Lucas Cove; Los Animas Bay; Angeles Island; Boca 

 de los Piedras; Tres Marias (No. 46754, TJ. S. N. M.). 



