OF CONCHOLOGY. 



113 



From the character of the animal and its habits, we have 

 removed this species to Rliizocliilus proper. 



CORALLIOPHILA, H. & A. Ad. 



The species of this genus inhabiting Polynesia are more or 

 less closely allied to each other, through their varieties. They 

 are widely distributed, and at some localities quite common. 



Having had opportunity of examining and comparing a large 

 number, I alter the synonymy as given by authors heretofore. 



The group comprises the following species : C. galea, Chem., 

 squamulosus, live., neritoideus, Chem., costularis, Blain., bulbi- 

 forrnis, Conrad, and deformis, Lam. 



The most simple in form is that of Q. neritoideus, Chem., as 

 figured by Reeve, Conch. Icon., sp. 70. The young are sharply 

 carinate and encircled with small squamose ridges ; as they 

 mature, the carination becomes rounded or entirely disappears, 

 and the ridges only defined by faint stride, which is the form 

 figured in Am. Ex. Ex. fig. 306. Other specimens retain the 

 ridges, and are somewhat squamose, as figured by Kiener, pi. 

 19, fig. 57. From this latter form this species passes into 

 squamulosus, Rve., which should be classed as a synonym. The 

 color of the aperture, which Mr. Reeve considers peculiar, is 

 variable. 



When obsoletely ribbed longitudinally and spire somewhat 

 exserted, it approaches 0. galea, Chem., or bulbiformis, Conrad. 

 The two latter species become closely allied and pass into costu- 

 laris, Lam. The more gibbous forms are bulbiformis, a slender 

 variety of which was named gibbosa by Reeve. Specimens still 

 more slender are costularis, Lam. The figure in Abbild. und 

 Beschr., pi. 4, fig. 7, is an intermediate form, more fusiform 

 than any I have met with in Polynesia. C. exaratus, Pse., 

 abbreviata, var., Kiener, is a distinct species ; its peculiarity is 

 the elevation of the inner lip, which may eventually prove to 

 connect it with Rhizochilus. We class it as a synonym of defor- 

 mis, Linn., to which refer below. The synonymy of the several 

 species we arrange as follows : 



CORALLIOPHILA NERITOIDEUS, Chem. 



1788. Murex neritoideus, Chem., Conch. Cab. vol. 10, pi. 165, 



fig. 1577, 78. 

 1816. Fusus neritoideus, Lam., Ency. Meth. pi. 435, fig. 2, a.b. 

 1822. Pyrula " Lam., An. sans Vert., vol. 7, p. 146, 



No. 25. 

 1832. Purpura " Quoy, Voy. d'Astrol., vol. 2, p. 582, pi. 



38, fig. 22—24. 



