olivid-s:. 39 



Tribe III. HARPALINA. 



Shell ventricose variced ; pillar smooth. Operculum none. 



Genus 18. HARPA. 



Shell ovate oblong, thin, striated, with numerous polished, 

 acute, rib-like varices ; spire short, acute, last whorl very large ; 

 mouth ovate, elongate, broadly notched in front ; outer lip with 

 a thickened external varix ; pillar lip simple, smooth, rounded, 

 pointed in front. Operculum none. Head large ; proboscis 

 elongate, conical. Teeth ? Tentacles conical, close to- 

 gether over the mouth, with the eyes near their base. Foot very 

 large, expanded, nicked on each side in front, elongate behind, 

 often becoming truncate. The hinder part of the foot separates 

 spontaneously when the animal is irritated, or killed in fresh 

 water. 



The varices have a strong spine at the hinder end near the 

 suture, which is rarely rudimentary : some specimens have one 

 or two other smaller spines in front of this spine ; but one, and 

 sometimes both are more or less completely obliterated : the 

 three spines generally most distinct and equal-sized on Harpa 

 erenata. 



The number, form, thickness and thinness, and state of arma- 

 ture of the varices vary greatly in the individuals of the same 

 species ; but the character afforded by the structure of the 

 outer lip, which lias hitherto been but little attended to, seems 

 to afford a good character for the separation of the kinds. 



Kiener (the last writer on the subject) regards H. conoi- 

 dulis as a mere variety of H. ventricosa, he unites a form of H 

 conoidalis with H. nobilis as a variety of that species, he con- 

 siders H. erenata as the adult of H. rosea. 



* Outer lip rounded, smooth. 



t Varices with broad brown cross bands. 



1. Harpa ventricosa. B.M. 



Buccinum harpa, Linn. S. N. 1201. 



Martini, Conch, iii. t. 519. f. 1090. 

 Buccinum harpa, var. A, Dillw. R. 8. ii. G07. 



Var. Varices few, thick, far apart. 

 Buccinum testudo, Soland. 3ISS. 

 Harpa ventricosa, Lamk. Si/st. 79 ; Hist. A. s. V. vii. No. 2. 



Kiener, Harpa, t. 1. f. 1, t. 6. f. 10. 

 Harpa ventricosa, var. intermedia, Kiener, Harpa, t. 6. f. 9. 



