OF CONCHOLOGY. 117 



revolving ribs. Suture deep. Color whitish, the revolving ribs 

 in perfect specimens being a beautiful purple. Aperture 

 rounded, interrupted by the body whorl; peristome thickened, 

 with a groove behind the columella. Alt. -07, lat. *04 in. Defl. 



25°. 



Habitat, Monterey, seven dead specimens, Dall. 



This species was pronounced new by Dr. Carpenter, who still 

 retains the perfect specimens. It has also been found, I believe, 

 by Drs. Canfield and Cooper. 



PYRAMIDELLID^E. 



Odostomia Bbringi, n. s. 



Shell small, white, thin, short, broad, and pointed. Whorls 

 five, flattened toward the apex. Suture not impressed. Surface 

 smooth or marked with faint lines of growth. Aperture less 

 than half as long as the shell ; rounded in front, sharply angu- 

 lated at the suture. Peristome thin. Columellar fold distinct, 

 close to the body whorl. A deep groove behind the inner lip 

 extends into a distinct tubular umbilical perforation, which is not 

 encroached upon by the inner lip. Lon. -22, lat. *13 in. Defl. 

 45°. 



Habitat, St. Michael's, Norton Sound, Alaska Territory ; one 

 specimen, Dall, 1867. 



Fragments, too imperfect to describe, were found belonging 

 to another species. 



None of the species figured by Forbes and Hanley appear to 

 be closely allied to this species. The number of nominal species 

 and varieties from the Northwest Coast of the Pacific is too 

 large, most of them having been described from a very small 

 number of specimens, which results in such labels as the follow- 

 ing: " Odostomia (nuciformis var.) nitens, form avellana ; com- 

 pare 0. sutura." (!) which, to say the least, do not lessen the 

 difficulties of identification, or improve on binomial nomenclature. 

 Nevertheless, after a careful comparison of this species with the 

 types of Dr. Carpenter's species, I do not find any which 

 approach it very closely. The nearest is, perhaps, 0. straminea, 

 Cpr., which is a thinner shell, of a different color, and without 

 the umbilical perforation. 



TURRITELLID^E. 



MESALIA, Gray, 1840. 

 Type Mesalia brevialis, Lam. 



