248 LITTORINA. 



L. PLANAXIS, Nuttall. PI. 43, figs. 55, 56 ; PL 44, fig. 57. 



Whorls convex, rapidly increasing, smooth or very minutely 

 spirally striate, light chocolate color, shining, under a thin olivaceous 

 epidermis, speckled and spotted irregularly with white, interior 

 chocolate color, with a white band near the base ; columella broadly 

 excavated, yellowish brown. 



California, Lower California. 



The young shells are often beautifully variegated with bands and 

 tessellations of chocolate and white, but these colorings rarely per- 

 sist in the adults. Fig. 57 represents (enlarged) one of these young 

 shells, described by Philippi under the name of L. picta, with a 

 variety marmorata. 



L. ambigua, Reeve (fig. 56) and L. patula, Gould are also syn- 

 onyms. 



L. PUNCTATA, Gmel. PI. 44, figs. 60-64. 



Ventricose, rather thin, smooth, polished, very minutely spirally 

 striate, periphery obtusely angulated, last whorl a little concave be- 

 low it ; olive brown, tessellated with white, aperture chocolate col- 

 ored, with an inferior white band. Length 12-15 mill. 



West Africa, Mediterranean Sea. 



The synonyms are L. guttata, Reeve (fig. 61), L. Syriaca, Phil. 



Var. FRASERI, Reeve. Figs. 62, 63. 



Livid purple, very minutely, numerously dotted. 



West Africa. 

 Var. PULCHELLA, Dunker. Fig. 64. 



Spirally engraved, flesh color, with purplish dots, interior choco- 

 late. 



West Africa, Teneriffe. 

 L. MELEAGRIS, Beck. PI. 45, fig. 10. 



Smooth, thin, flesh color or ashy, closely, usually regularly retic- 

 ulated with chocolate, forming oblique series. 

 Length 8 mill. 



West Indies. 

 L. guttata Phil, and L. punctata, Pfr. are synonyms. 



L. AFRICANA, Krauss. PL 44, figs. 66, 65, 67-69. 



Ash colored, smooth, spirally engraved, periphery angulated, 

 aperture chocolate, with an inferior white band. 



Length 10 Mill. 



Cape of Good Hope, Natal. 



