CYPR^EA. 505 



predecessor, so as almost to obliterate the traces of a spire, 

 which is very short in Marginella and Ovula, and entirely 

 concealed in the adult Cypraa. None of these genera have 

 an operculum, and the mantle in all is largely reflexed on the 

 shell. This family terminates the British Muricidal group. 



CYPR^EA, Linnseus. 

 C. EUROP^A, Linnaeus. 



C. Europaa, C. pediculus, C. arctica, Auct. 



C. Europaa, Brit. Moll. iii. p. 495, pi. 114 A. f. 6-9 ; (animal) pi. N.N. 

 f. 5-7. 



Animal inhabiting a strong, suborbicular, transversely-ribbed, 

 white or pale flesh-coloured convolute shell. The mantle is very 

 large, and can be reflexed on both sides so as to cover the 

 entire shell ; it is marked for some depth with alternate red, 

 brown and white transverse stripes, sprinkled sparingly with 

 minute sulphur-yellow well-raised papillae. The branchial fold 

 extends beyond the shell, and is edged with orange-colour, 

 marked on its surface with fine yellow lines, mixed with a 

 few brighter dots, with its terminus more intensely yellow. 

 The head is scarcely a projection, concave laterally, flat above, 

 and from its central basal vertical fissure a long proboscis can 

 be exserted, though it is rarely seen ; the palate is imme- 

 diately within it, enclosed by two transparent yellow corneous 

 plates, between which a short spinous tongue proceeds to the 

 stomach. Behind the buccal mass is the nervous cordon of 

 two oval orange- coloured ganglia. The tentacula are pale 

 yellowish-white, marked with five or six intensely yellow, 

 flaky, minute dots ; they are long, slender, round, tapering to 

 rather a short obtuse point, greatly divergent, with eyes on 

 very short pedicles at the external bases. The foot when in 

 action is long, narrow, and rounded in front, yet slightly 

 auricled, slender behind, but not very pointed, and extending 

 considerably beyond the shell ; in the middle portion it is 

 bluish-white, but posteally and anteally of a pale orange- 

 brown, with a few small bright sulphur patches. The bran- 



