104 PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOOICAL SOCIEXr. 



VOLUTOCOKBIS, "W. H. Dull. 

 Trans. "Wagner Free Instit. Sci. Philadelphia, 1890, vol. iii, p. 75. 



Type. — Vohita Umopsis, Conrad. 



Distribution in time. — Cretaceous (Senonian) to Recent (=: Valuta 

 ahjssicola, Adams & lleeve, and Volutilithes Gilchristi, G. B. Sowerby). 



Professor Dall described this form ( Volutocorhis) as a subgenus of 

 Swaiuson's Volutilithes of 1840. 



Note, — Since the reading of this paper, Professor "W. H. Dall has 

 published some notes on the Volntidte in The Nautilus for April, 

 1906, vol. xix, No. 12, p. 143. Referring to Volufilithes of Swainson, 

 he states that the name " was proposed for the shells to which Fischer 

 later gave the name of Eopsephcea. The type is Valuta muricina, Lam. 

 The shells typified by Valuta spinosa, and which are usually called 

 Volutilithes, will probably take the name of Plcjona, Bolten, 1798." 

 The claims of the Eoltenian name are, however, much too unsatisfactory 

 for serious consideration, as a glance at its history will readily 

 demonstrate. Plejona was founded by Bolten in 1798 (Museum 

 Boltenianum, p. 59), the first species referred to, and which should be 

 regarded as the type, being P.fossilis, a form based upon some figures 

 in Dezallier d'Argenville's " L'Histoire Naturelle eclaircie dans deux 

 de ses parties principales. La Lithologie et la Conch yliologie," 1742, 

 pi. xxxiii, fig. 10, p. 393. Now this so-called figure 10 comprises 

 four separate illustrations of what are termed " Muricites," all of which 

 belong to different shells, and which may be fairly easily recognizable, 

 commencing from the left of the plate, as Valuta musicalis, Volutilithes 

 muricina, Volutospina spinasa, and Mdongena melongena (this last shell 

 kindly determined for me by Mr. E. A. Smith). It is not possible 

 from a group of shells like this to select one in particular as the type 

 of Plejona, and Bolten having failed to specify that which he regarded 

 as such, there is no alternative but to omit this name from tlie 

 conchological list. I am indebted to Mr. B. B. Woodward, F.L.S., for 

 kindly directing my attention to Professor Ball's interesting com- 

 munication on this subject. 



