782 CRETACEOUS PALEONTOLOGY. 



Description. "Shell large and moderately ventricose, attain- 

 ing a length of 7 or more inches, with a transverse diameter of 

 nearly or quite 2% inches; spire moderately elevated, with 

 depressed convex whorls; volutions five or more, the last one 

 forming nearly or quite three-fifths of the entire length, gently 

 convex throughout the upper three-fourths of its length and 

 slightly narrowed and extended in front ; aperture long elliptical, 

 acute above arid narrowed in front; sutures between volutions 

 only moderate; surface, as seen on casts, usually smooth, but 

 sometimes showing both vertical and spiral ridges, while on 

 the surfaces between the volutions of the casts very distinct 

 vertical and spiral ridges appear. On one of the larger indi- 

 viduals the columellar lip appears to have been considerably 

 thickened, and to have been but very faintly marked by a single 

 fold, very obliquely placed ; while on the upper portion of its 

 surface the ridges of the preceding volution have left their 

 imprint, appearing as nearly horizontal folds, though in reality 

 being the effect of external markings. The single very oblique 

 fold is placed very near the base of the columella, and on some 

 specimens appears only as an angulation of the columella." 

 (Whitfield.) 



Remarks. This species is probably the largest gastropod in 

 the Cretaceous faunas of New Jersey. It resembles V. conradi, 

 but it is much more ponderous than that species, with a less- 

 extended anterior beak. The volutions of the spire are also pro- 

 portionally much longer and less ventricose than in that species, 

 and none of the volutions are shouldered at the top. 



Formation and locality.* Navesink marl, Cream Ridge, 

 Holmdel, Freehold, eastern Monmouth County (Whitfield). 



Geographic distribution. New Jersey. 



Genus PIESTOCHIIAJS Meek. 



Piestochilus bella (Gabb). 

 Plate XCVL, Figs. 1-4. Plate XCIL, Figs. 4-5. 



1860. Volutilithes bella Gabb, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., 2d 

 ser., vol. 4, p. 300, pi. 48, fig. 7. 



