of the Genus Cypraia Linn. 257 



Length 23, width 14, height 11 millim. 

 Habitat. — East Indies. 



Remarks. — This handsome cowrie, of which I have only seen 

 the one above described, was found by Mr. David W. Fer- 

 guson of the city of Brooklyn, among a small lot of Cyprseae said 

 to have been obtained at Singapore, among which were G. 

 zigzag Linn., C. fimbriata Gm., C. poraria Linn., and several 

 other species well known as inhabitants of the great Indo-Paci- 

 fic province. The specimen is now in Mr. Ferguson's Cabinet, 

 and to him I am indebted for the opportunity of describing it. 

 It appears to be very distinct from any of the species of the genus 

 hitherto described. In the color of the extremities it has some 

 resemblance to 0. fimbriata Gm., and C. microdon Gray, but 

 the much larger size, the more elevated back, the narrower 

 umbilicated spire, the color of the base and sides, the absence of 

 any appearance of bands, and especially the large and distinct 

 spots on the margins, at once distinguish it from either of those 

 species. The teeth on the posterior and middle portions of the 

 columellar lip are also smaller than in those species, and the 

 number of teeth in both lips is greater than in C. fimbriata and 

 less than in C. microdon. In its general form and appearance 

 it has some resemblance to C. Goodallii and C. contaminata, 

 but in every other respect it is very dissimilar. 



With all these distinctive characters, I cannot hesitate to 

 regard it as very different from any species with which I am 

 acquainted, although I have only seen a single specimen. It 

 has no appearance of malformation, and its color is very cha- 

 racteristic. 



