Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, 455 



Australia, 15-30 fatli. (Brit. Mas.); off Vizagapatara, 25 

 fath,, off Coromaudel coast, 41 fatli., off Maugalore, 26-30 

 fath. (' Investigator ') . 



The series of specimens from the above localities shoAvs 

 that the species varies somewhat in the strength of the sculp- 

 ture and the depth of the coloration. The upper whorls of 

 the spire may or may not be coronated. In the type they 

 are strongly nodose, whilst in the specimens from N.W. 

 Australia the coronation is almost obsolete, and in the 

 examples from the Indian localities it is entirely absent. 

 The transverse ridges upon the body- whorl are coarser and 

 most prominent in the typical form and comparatively 

 flattened in the Australian specimens. There are also other 

 minor differences in the various examples which it would be 

 tedious to explain in words, although they are quite appa- 

 rent and interesting on comparison. 



Conus Sieboldii, Reeve. 



Comis Sieholdii, Conch. Icon., Siippl. pi. i. fig. 209; Sowerby, Tlies. 

 Con. vol. iii. pi. ccii. fig. 3G9 ; Weinkauff, Conch. -Cab. ed. 2, p. 285, 

 pi. xlix. fig. 6. 



Hab. Japan (Reeve, Lischke, ^c.) ; Stations 229 and 232, 

 off Malabar, in 360 fath., and off Travancore coast, in 430 

 fath. (* Investigator '). 



Only one of the five specimens examined shows any traces 

 of the scattered brownish blotches which are characteristic of 

 this species. This absence of colour is not remarkable, as 

 these examples were from deep water, probably much deeper 

 than that whence any of the previously recorded specimens 

 were obtained. It will be remembered that the occurrence 

 of Ranella {Biplex) perca, a well-known Japanese form, has 

 already been recorded from deep water off Colombo^, and 

 also the Japanese Xenopliora 'pallidula from 188 fath. off the 

 Andaman Islands f. It is therefore interesting to find 

 another form hitherto supposed to be exclusively Japanese 

 occurring in the Bay of Bengal. 



The apex of the spire in these specimens, which were 

 dredged alive, is eroded, so that the slight " coronation " of 

 the whorls is destroyed. This would probably be the case in 

 all specimens obtained at this particular station. 



* Smith, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Tlist. 189o, vol. xvi. p. 0. 

 t Sowerby, Proc. Malac. Soc. vol. i. p. 38. 



31* 



