486 HALIOTIDJS. 



Auris marina £e. Martini, Conch. Cab. vol. i. pp. 107, 188, pi. 1 G, f. 1411, 



14.9. 

 Haliotis r/di/aris, Da Costa, Brit. Conch, p. 15, pi. 2, f. 1, 2. 



The colouring- of this shell, which is not much swollen, 

 and whose shape is oval, or oboval, is peculiarly variable, 

 scarcely any two specimens being precisely alike. The com- 

 ponent colours of its painting are green and red, with an occa- 

 sional mottling of white. The green is generally bluish or 

 olivaceous, the red ranges from purplish to brownish rufous, 

 but is more frequently of a brick colour : these hues either 

 shade into each other, or angulated patches or cloudy 

 markings of the darker tint adorn the paler one. The ex- 

 terior in some individuals is flatly costellated, the intervals 

 of the ribs being almost linear; plano-convex unequal cos- 

 tellse, whose interstices are about as broad as the finer of 

 them, cover the surface of other, and chiefly aged, examples; 

 the sculpture in some, again, is so close and fine that the 

 exterior is rather striato-sulcated than ribbed. Neither the 

 raised nor the level portions of the surface can be termed 

 cancellated, but most minute and densely disposed longi- 

 tudinal striulre are occasionally perceptible. There is 

 usually a slight retusion of surface midway between the 

 foraminal tubercles and the spire ; the former are mo- 

 derately prominent, and tolerably large ; from six to 

 eight are open ; the perforations are in general oval or 

 rounded oval. Beyond these is a rather broad and 

 strongly indicated shallow channel, or excavated area, 

 whose limit is well defined by a coarse rib, succeeded by 

 other similar but less strong ones. Some wavy longi- 

 tudinal folds are occasionally present, but the surface is 

 more frequently only undulated at the stages of increase. 

 The spire is remarkably small, the body or final volu- 

 tion being most abruptly enlarged ; it is obliquely and 



