500 TROCHIDiE. 



vol. ix. p. 145. — Blainv. Faune FraiKj. Moll. p. 260, 

 pi. 10, f. 5. — Phii.ippi, Moll. Sicil. vol. i. p. 174, pi. 10, 

 f. 22,22,a ; vol. ii. p. 149. 

 Trockusfragilis, Pulteney, Hutchins, Hist. Dorset, p. 44. 

 „ tenuis, Mont. Test. Brit. p. 275, pi. 10, f. 3. 



Although known traditionally as the papillosus of Da 

 Costa, the description by that author is not merely in- 

 definite, but essentially adverse, and his delineation by no 

 means characteristic. Hence we have preferred the name 

 applied to the species by Born, almost immediately after- 

 wards. 



The obliquely conoid form of this elegant Trochus, is 

 modified by the dilatation and tumidity of its base. Of the 

 eight or nine volutions that compose the shell, the upper 

 ones are nearly flat, the penult and ante-penult are slightly 

 or moderately convex, and the last, or body-whorl, is 

 rounded : the apex is acute, and not differently coloured 

 from the rest of the surface. The general hue of the shell, 

 which is thin and glossy, and not quite opaque, is a flesh- 

 colour, that varies in its intensity and tint, being often 

 tinged with brown or yellow ; a few scattered longitudinal 

 spots, of a rufous or darker shade of the same colour, appear 

 upon the whorls, and a few rows of similarly-painted oblong- 

 dots are sparingly and subarticulately disposed upon the 

 spiral belts of the base, and are often apparent (though 

 irregularly and indistinctly) upon those of the spire like- 

 wise. There is an Albino variety, but it is rare. The 

 sculpture consists of numerous narrow granulated spiral 

 belts, that gradually change into depressed and simple 

 ones upon the base. There appears to be a considerable 

 latitude as to the number of these belts, their degree and 

 style of granulation, &c. There are generally from six to 

 eight upon the penult and ante-penult whorls, and the 

 one that precedes the obscurely indicated suture is rather 



