GENUS DOLIUM. 



5. DOLIUM VARIEGATUM, LAM. The Variegated fun. 



(Collect. MASS. LAM.) ' . f 



-x .. j,*Ww ^1 



PI. II, fig. 3 et 3 a, young. = 



D. testA ovato-globosa, ventricosft, umbilicata, tenui, albo et rufo varie- 

 gatd; costis convexis, confertis, aliis albis rufo-maculatis, aliis rufis; spira 

 brevi. 



Shell ovate-globose, ventricose, thin ; spire composed of 

 six convex whirls, slightly separated by a shallow suture, and 

 loaded with transverse rounded ribs, which are very approxi- 

 mate. The lower whirl composes, itself, almost the whole of 

 the shell ; twenty to twenty-six transverse ribs may be count- 

 ed upon its surface, among which, in old specimens, are found 

 other smaller ones which are alternately disposed between 

 the first, towards the most elevated part. All the ribs are 

 separated by furrows which are not throughout of the same 

 size. The aperture is wide, large and ovate ; its lips are 

 white, and the interior reddish. The right lip, terminated by 

 a scolloped dilatation, is traversed by a canal of no great 

 depth. The left lip is white, thin, applied to the body of 

 the lower whirl, and forms a part of the umbilicus. The 

 columella is twisted spirally. The coloring of the exterior 

 is whitish, varied with red, and covered, upon the transverse 

 ribs, with irregular spots which sometimes form longitudinal 

 or zigzag bands of a deeper color. The epidermis is thin 

 and reddish. 



Length 4 inches. Width 3 inches. 



Inhabits the Indian Seas, the Isle of France, the shores of 

 Ceylon, and of New Holland. 



This species is somewhat allied to the DOLIUM maculatum, 

 but its small chords or ribs, very approximate to each other, dis- 

 tinguish it materially from this last shell. Upon some specimens 

 are observed ribs which have no other tint of coloring than the 

 ground of the shell. Young specimens are diaphanous and 

 slightly colored by spots. 



..... 



7 



, 



