4 NERITID.'E. 



and sparingly distributed, but in ordinary they are so 

 crowded as to seem immeshed in a dai-ker net-work ; not 

 unfrequently, also, one or two lighter spiral bands are 

 formed by the partial closer approximation of the pale 

 markings, and the consequent tenuity of the coloured 

 lines that divide them from each other. In some in- 

 dividuals a beautiful effect is produced by the whitish 

 spots being preceded by a very dark line, and then 

 gradually shading into the ground colour. The body- 

 whorl is not swollen, but only moderately rounded ; 

 towards the simple suture it is somewhat flattened, and 

 gently shelving, whence, the base of the abruptly en- 

 larging penult volution being more convex, and more 

 abrupt in its declination, the spire, which is vei'y small, 

 being composed of only a. couple of turns, that occupy 

 a very small portion of the breadth of the shell, and are 

 peculiarly lateral in the adult, often appears projecting, 

 despite its extreme shortness : at times, however, it is 

 scarcely raised. The aperture is obliquely semioval, 

 almost occupies half the lower surface, and is of a bluish- 

 white. The margin of the outer lip, which is somewhat 

 disposed to expand, is a little indented posteriorly. The 

 columellar plate is whitish, but is often margined with 

 a fulvous yellow ; it occupies about a fourth of the lower 

 superficies, is quite smooth, and is flat or a little concave, 

 with a partial indentation near its pillar-margin. This 

 last is sharp, and quite entire (not denticulated) ; its 

 general inclination is obliquely rectilinear, but with a very 

 slight refusion in the middle of it. The tawny operculum 

 is edged with orange or scarlet. Most of our examples 

 measure four lines and a third in breadth, and three lines 

 in length. 



Want of space forbids our detailing the innumerable 



