ovuLA. 499 



Ovulum patulmn, Sowerby, Zool. Journ. vol. iv. p. IGl ; Species Conch, p. 10, 



f. 58. — Bullet. Sc. Natur. 1829, vol. xviii. p. 127.— 



Sowerby (Jim.), Thesaur. Conch, vol. ii. p. 478, pi. 101, 



f. 105, 113. 



Ov/ila patula, Kiener, Coq. Viv. Ovula, pi. 3, f. 4.— Brit. Marine Conch, p. 222. 



—Brown, Illust. Conch. G. B. p. 3, pi. 2, f. 11, 13.— Desh. 



Lam. Anim. s. Vert, (ed. Desh.) vol. x. p. 477. 



This elegantly formed shell cannot well be mistaken for 

 any other native species. It is involute, rather thin, of 

 an uniform white or very pale pink, more or less shining, 

 and smooth or nearly so, but has a few spiral striae at each 

 extremity. Its shape is oblong-subfusiform, being a little 

 beaked above, and tapering gradually below to a blunt- 

 tipped acute angle. The back is not all angulated, but 

 rounded, and the declination from the centre of it to either 

 end is decidedly convex. The canal ridge is strongly 

 marked, and there is a slight longitudinal indentation 

 between it and the pillar, which last is rather elongated. 

 The mouth extends the whole length of the shell, is very 

 open in the middle, but contracts (and more especially 

 above) to a canal at both ends ; the throat is quite smooth. 

 The outer lip is simple, acute, and arcuated. The pillar is 

 a little twisted at both ends, and much shorter posteriorly. 

 The length of a very flue example was nearly an inch, and 

 its breadth about half that measurement. 



The animal is pale, nearly white, except the mantle, 

 which is slightly tinged with yellow, and barred with fine, 

 simple vertical orange stripes. The head is proboscidiform 

 with two filiform tentacula, thickened towards their bases 

 to form prominent external bulgings on which are placed 

 the very black conspicuous eyes. The mantle is rcflexed 

 on the shell so as to occupy about one-third of each side ; 

 it is not fimbriated or tuberculated. The siphon is rather 

 long, white, and entire. The foot is very long, rather 



