156 STRIGATELLA. 



markings, sometimes appearing like rude letters, and interrupted 

 more or less by revolving bands. Length, *75-l inch. 



Red Sea, Java, Mauritius, So. Africa, Philippines, Polynesia. 

 In many specimens the dark color so predominates as to 

 appear to be the ground-color, upon which are superimposed the 

 yellowish spots and letters ; I figure a shell which Sowerby has 

 called M. maculosa, Reeve (fig. 339) which shows this variety 

 pretty well. As already stated, the true maculosa closely 

 approaches this form. 



M. PAUPERCULA, Linn. PI. 46, fig. 340. 



Chocolate, with uninterrupted whitish or yellowish longitudi- 

 nal strigations. Length, 1-1 '4 inches. 



Red Sea, E. Africa, Indian Ocean, Philippines, Polynesia. 



M. VIRGATA, Reeve. PI. 46, fig. 341. 



Color and markings as in M. paupercula, but distinguished by 

 smaller size, more abbreviate, Columbella-like form and conspi- 

 cuous revolving grooves at the base of the shell. 



Length, *75-'9 inch. 



Mr. Reeve included two species in his M. virgata, his first 

 figure being a species previously described by Lamarck, and 

 which immediately follows this description. Some specimens of 

 virgata have the Melampus-like form of M. return, but they 

 appear to be constantly distinguished by the want of the white 

 band and fewer and larger color flames. 



M. RETUSA, Lam. PI. 46, figs. 342-344. 



Surface covered with revolving striae ; dark chocolate, with 

 rlne close, thread-like undulating longitudinal yellow or white 

 lines, and superiorly a narrow yellow or white revolving band. 



Length, -75-1 inch. 



Polynesia. 



M. virgata, Reeve (fig. 341), in part, is synonymous with M. 

 return, and M. capillata, Gould (fig. 344), is probably a juvenile 

 of it. 



M. ZEBRA, Garrett. 



An unfigured Polynesian species, the description of which 

 accords tolerably with M. virgata. 



