246 OVULA. 



Genus OVULA, Brug., 178.9. 



Typical Group. 

 0. OVUM, Linn. PL 1, figs. 11, 12. 



White, brownish red within the aperture. Length, 2"5-4'5 inches. 

 East Africa, Indian Ocean, Japar>, Society Is., etc. 

 The animal is blackish, the mantle beset with short filaments. 

 It is 0. oviformis, Lam. (fiir. 12) and 0. alba, Schimi. In full 

 dress many of the Pacific Islanders are decked out with large 

 white Ovulum shells, appended to the waist, elbows, and ankles. 

 Throughout the islands inhabited by the crisp-haired Papuan 

 race, a large species of Ovulum of a very pure white color, 

 resembling porcelain, is employed with great effect by the 

 natives in decorating their houses, temples and canoes. Sim- 

 monds, Commercial Products of the Sea. 



0. TORTILIS, Marty n. PL 2, figs. 19, 20. 



Smaller and more angularly ventricose than the preceding 

 species ; white, the interior of the aperture rose-color. 



Length, 2 inches. Zanzibar, Moluccas, Friendly Is. 



The synonyms are 0. imperialis, Dillw.; 0. columba, Schub. 

 and Wagn.; 0. angulosa, Lam.; 0. costellata, Lam.; 0. ovum, 

 var. /?, Gmel. 

 0. MARGINATA, Sowb. PL 1 , figs. 13, 14, 15; PL 2, figs. 21, 22. 



Rather thin, semitransparent, white, encircled with an orange 

 line at the margin, very obscurely decussated, interior milk- 

 white. Length, 21-30 mill. Hongkong. 



Described without locality. 0. Sinensis, Sowb. (figs. 21, 22), 

 from Hongkong, appears to be merely a larger shell of the same 

 species. 0. brevis, Reeve (not Sowerby) and Weinkanff (fig. 15), 

 is probably identical ; the back seems to be angulated in this 

 latter species, or else lightly marked with narrow bands. 



O. PATULA, Pennant. PL 1, figs. 16-18. 



White, thin, semitransparent, a little produced at the extremi- 

 ties, with very fine revolving striae, almost microscopic, lip- 

 margin rarely thickened in English specimens, more usually 

 thickened and slightly dentate in Mediterranean examples; 

 columella with a posterior callous fold when adult. 



Length, 1 inch. Europe. 



