PLEISTOCENE FOSSILS. 253 



The shell in question presents the very unusual character of having 

 the whirls appressed, yet quite disconnected ; the smooth epidermis 

 lining the umbilical chambers, and conspicuously preserved, even in 

 these fossil specimens, between the closest parts of the parietal region. 

 In this respect it bears the same relation to Torellia as does Latiaxis 

 to Rapana, Separatista to Rhizochilus, or Zanclea to Torinia. It 

 presents a rude resemblance to Separatista Ghemnitzii (Add. Gen. 

 pi. xiv. f. 6), or still more to S. Blainvilhana (Chenu Man. p. 172, 

 § 853), but without the grooved pillar, or the keels of the latter species. 



As to the " blunt tubercle " or " callous protuberance" of Torellia, 

 described by Mr. Jeflfreys, but scarcely to be traced in Mr. Sowerby's 

 figure, it certainly does not exist in our fossils. It is not always a 

 character of importance, as may be seen by comparing Purpura 

 columellaris with P. patula, Cuma tectum with the remaining species 

 of the genus, or the gradual transition from Isapis to Fossarus. The 

 Naticidse are often very irregular in the callous region of the pillar, 

 even in the same species. 



[The late J. Gwyn Jeffreys regarded it as congeneric with his 

 Torellia vestita from the North Atlantic, but specifically distinct. 

 Verrill has, since the discovery of the species in the Pleistocene, 

 dredged specimens in deep water off the New England coast.] 



Velutina zonata. Gould. (Plate VL, Fig. 6.) 



Fossil — Montreal ; Beauport. 



Recent— Arctic seas to Massachusetts; Little Metis: Kamouraska ; 

 Nova Scotia. 



According to Jeffreys, this shell is the same with V. undata, Smith, 

 from the Clyde beds, and is found in the Crag and in the Post-pliocene 

 of Uddevalla. 



Scalaria Gramlandica. Perry. 



Fossil— Riviere-du-Loup ; Quebee ; Saco ; also Scottish Post- 

 pliocene and English Red Crag, under same varietal forms as in 

 Canada. (Plate VI. , Fig. 5. ) 



Recent— Riviere-du-Loup; Nova Scotia ; Kamouraska; Arctic seas, 

 and American coast, as far south as Massachusetts. 



The specimens from Riviere-du-Loup are very large, one being 

 nearly two inches long ; and, as Dr. Beck has remarked, the varices of 

 some of the specimens are more slender and lamellar than in recent 

 specimens, others, however, are similar to the more common recent 

 variety. 



