274 CASSIS. 



Subgenus SEMICASSIS (Klein, 1153), Morch, 1852. 



Section I. TYPICAL. 

 C. SULCOSA, Bruguiere. PI. 4, fig. 64-67 ; PL 3, figs. 59, 01. 



Whorls, usually without varices, but often with rugose or 

 tuberculate growth-lines, especially on the spire and upper part 

 of body-whorl, equidistantly spirally groved ; yellowish while, 

 longitudinally streaked with light chestnut, sometimes the 

 streaks are interrupted, forming spiral bands of tessellations; 

 columella rugose and granulate, outer lip plicate-dentate, often 

 enormously thickened. Length, 3-4 inches. 



Mediterranean Sea, Portugal, W. Coast of Africa, 



West Indies, Brazil, W. Coast N. America 



from Panama to Guaymas. 



A somewhat variable species as to form and sculpture, giving 

 rise to several specific names some of which I have retained in 

 n. varietal sense, although these forms grade one into another. 

 The typical sulcosa has a somewhat elevated spire, the whorls 

 well-rounded above. It, as well as the varieties, occurs at all the 

 localities for the species. It is C. undulata and C. gibba, 

 Gmelin ; C. decussata, Pennant ; and Brugnonia pulohella, 

 Jeffreys, is probably the fry. Possibly Buccinum inalum, B. 

 cepa and B. globulus, Bolten, are also synonyms. 



Var. INFLATA, Shaw. PI. 4, fig. 65. 



Somewhat thinner and more inflated than the t}^pe, often 

 singly varicose, the lip not so much thickened, coloring more 

 generally in tessellations, frequently one-varicose. 



This variety is the usual form of the West Indies, although it 

 occasionally occurs in Mediterranean specimens. It is C. gran- 

 ulosa, Brug. ; C. tessellata, Pfr. ; C. trifasciata, Gmelin ; C. Isem- 

 gata, Menke ; C. cicatricosa, Gronov. ; C. granulata, Born ; C. 

 ventricosa, Mart. 



Var. ABBREVIATA, Lam. PI. 3, figs. 61, 59; PI. 4, figs. 66, 67 ; 

 PI. 5, fig. 71. 



Spire shorter, the upper part of the whorls nodulous and 

 somewhat angular. 



This variety is very characteristic of specimens from the West 

 Coast of North America, but it also occurs in the West Indies 



