410 CHITONIMS. 



It is found ranging to for distances from land, and to 

 greater depths than any other of our Chitons, having been 

 taken in forty, fifty, eighty, and even one hundred fathoms 

 around the Zetlands. It is occasionally met with at very 

 low water, and is abundant in from four to thirty fathoms. 

 It ranges from the Scandinavian seas to the northern shores 

 of Spain. 



C. cancellatus, Sowerby. 



Resembling asellus, but much narrower ; the back more ele- 

 vated, quite rounded, not at all beaked. 



Plate LIX. fig. 3. 



9 Chiton alius, Pulteney, Hutchins, Hist. Dorset, p. 25. — Rackett, Dorset 

 Catalog, p. 25, pi. 1, f. 3. 

 „ cancellatus, Leach ? Sowerby, Conch. Illust. Chiton, spec 5, f. 104, 105. 

 — Reeve, Conch. Icon. vol. iv. Chiton, pi. 23, f. 152. 



The supposed Chiton cancellatus of Leach, — for the species 

 was never characterised by that naturalist, and Mr. Sowerby 

 doubtingly gives him the reputation of founding it, solely 

 from the traditionary authority of collectors, — approaches 

 so closely to C. asellus, that Middendorff, whose elaborate 

 work on the Russian Chitons exhibits remarkable powers 

 of observation, has held it to be a mere variety. Since, 

 however, it differs in very many points, we have held it 

 advisable to retain it for the present, but propose merely 

 to enumerate those characters which seem more strikingly 

 to separate it from the shell we have compared it to. All 

 the specimens we have seen are of a squalid, but uniform, 

 whitish tint throughout, and are far smaller, much nar- 

 rower (the length being twice the breadth), and propor- 

 tionately more elevated than those of asellus. The back is 

 peculiarly rounded, and the valves are not at all beaked. 



