MKLVILL : ON MALLUVIUM. 83 



1. Amalthea lissa (E. a. Smith), 

 Capulus lissus, E. A. Smith, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xiv (1894), 

 p. 166, pi. iv, figs. 4-6. 



The following is the author's oziginal description : — 



"Testa pileiformis, apiee postice valde recurvato, sordide alba vel 

 dilutissime rufescens, lineis incrementi striata, hand radiatim scidpta, 

 anfructus 3, apicales duo (nucleus) giobosi, Iteves ; apex pone sed 

 supra marginem aperturae convolutus ; apertura irregulariter rotunde 

 ovata, pallide fuscescens; peristoma tenue, margine infra apicem 

 incrassato. 



" Diam. maj. 11 millim., min. 8, alt. 5i- ; apertura 8^ longa, 7 lata. 



*' Bab.— Bay of Bengal, 90-102 fathoms. 



"The chief characteristic of this species is the absence of radiating 

 sculpture, a feature common to most species of the genus Capulus." — 

 E. A. S. 



To this description it only remains to add that the larger and well- 

 grown examples dredged by Mr. Townsend exhibit in nearly every 

 case longitudinal cinnamon or pale rufous rays, thus ornamenting the 

 shining white surface, which is hardly ever covered with any, even 

 slight, vestiges of the very fugitive pale-brown epideruiis. And, as 

 before mentioned, the shelly basal plate has been, for the first time, 

 detected. 



Additional localities for this species are as follows : — Persian Gulf ; 

 Gulf of Oman ; lat. 24° 6' :N'., long. 57° 30' E., 206 fathoms, on 

 GorgonicB, RosteUaria, and Co7ius plmiiliratus, Sowb. ; lat. 25° 54' N., 

 long. 60° 20' E., 60 fathoms, on Conm mostly; lat. 24° 58' N., long. 

 56° 54' E., 156 fathoms, dead, and small, colourless, in shell-sand; 

 also lat. 24° 75' N., long. 56° 75' E., 122 fathoms, on spines of Echini, 



2. Amalthea benthovhila, Dall. 



Amalthea lenthophila, Dall, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard Coll., 



vol. xviii, Ko. xxix, pt. 2, p. 289, pi. xiv, figs. \a-b. 



Hah. — India occidentalis. "Off Sand Key, 50 fathoms, St. Kitts, 

 245 fathoms. JS'ear Nevis, 373 fathoms. Guadeloupe, 175 fathoms, on 

 spines of Echini. Martinique, 17o fathoms, also on Echinus spines. 

 St. Yinceut, 146 fathoms, on shells. Bottom temperatures 45° to 

 65° F." 



The following is Dr. Hall's description: — 



" Shell stout, white, smooth, with a smooth straw - coloured 

 epidermis, and a coil of about two whorls. Apex elevated, nucleus 

 glassy, rather large, of about one whorl; surface smooth, often 

 polished, showing only irregularities due to growth, and a few 

 microscopic spiral scratches, aperture subcircular, interior white, 

 glossy, b.isal plate sometimes (^[uite thin, as when the mollusc is seated 

 on a flat stone, or on another Amalthea, or quite thick, as when it 

 rests on a Ctdufis spine. It is marked with two diverging impressions, 

 corresponding to the position of the adductors, Lat. aperture 8-0, long, 

 ditto 8-0, alt. 6-0 mm. 



" This species, by its smooth surface, is easily distinguished from 

 any other. The irregularities of iha Echinus spines arc not reproduced 



