Notes on Voluta [)rcvostian:i and V. nie<^as[)ira. 481 



LXT. — Xotes on Voluta prevostiaua, Crosse, and V. mega- 

 spira, Sowcvhy, ic'ith Description of a new Variety of the 

 Former. \\y G. B. SOWERBY, F.L.S. 



[Plate XIX. fig. 12.] 



Voluta prevostUuia, Crosse, Jouni. de Ooncli. vol. xxvii. p. 42, 

 pi. i. 



Voluta lyneformis, Kiener, Coq. Viv., Voluta, p. 3."), pi. xlii. fin;. 2 (nou 



Brod. Zool. Jourii. vol. iii. p. 83). 

 Voluta meijaspira, Tryon, Journ. of Conch, vol. iv. p. 9o (non Sowerby, 



Thes. Coach, vol. i. p. 20S, pi. xlviii. figs. 31, 32). 



This species, uliicli has heeii enoneouslj confounded with 

 V. megaspira, is very distinct from it. The type of the 

 latter, exhibited in our National Collection, has quite a diffe- 

 rent form and calibre. In describing it my fatiier remarks 

 that he had only seen a single specimen of the species ; and 

 now, after all these years, 1 must confess myself in the same 

 ])Osition, and, as far as my knowledge goes, the shell remains 

 unique. No habitat is mentioned witli the description, and 

 ptrhaps the species is not Japanese. Compared with V. pre- 

 vostiaua the body-whorl is shorter in proportion to the spire, 

 ihe papillary apex is larger, the surface of the shell is smooth, 

 without the tine longitudinal laminae characteristic of Crosse's 

 species, and, finally, it has five rather prominent folds on the 

 columella. 



V. prevostiaua, o£ which specimens have recently been 

 received from Japan, sent by Hirase, varies considerably in 

 size, but very little in form and general proportiDiis. Our 

 smaller adult specimen measures G8 mm., and the largest I 

 have seen about 180 mm. in length. Crosse describes the 

 species as having four columella folds, the two posterior ones 

 being very small and scarcely visible ; this 1 iind to be the 

 case with some, but in others the third and fourth are entirely 

 absent. All the specimens have one very prominent obliquely 

 fc^inuous fold, the second being much less jirominent. 



Among the shells received from Hirase is one so different 

 in appearance that I at first thought of giving it a specific 

 name, but have concluded to call it a variety. 



Voluta prevostiaua, Crosse, var. clara, Sowerby, var. u. 

 (PI. XIX. fig. 12.) 



Shell of a delicate cream-colour throughout the exterior 

 entirely destitute of colour-markings; a[»erture of a smooth 



