GENUS HARPA. 



Of late several authors, and particularly Deshayes, have 

 brought back to this species shells of the same genus which had 

 been improperly separated by Lamarck. The first which we 

 shall notice is the imperial harp, pi. 2, fig. 2, which, however, 

 at first sight, appears to differ essentially from the ventricose 

 harp ; but, as we have remarked of several species of genera 

 which we have already described, the gradual affinities of a 

 series of specimens naturally bring back this shell to the com- 

 mon type, although at first it appeared remote from it. We 

 shall point out, as a striking example, a specimen which presents 

 upon one of its sides the same ribs as those of the type species, 

 and upon the other those of the variety, (see our pi. VI, fig. 9). 

 Thus then, this differs from the ventricose harp by the ribs being 

 more contracted, and nearer each other ; but, constant in all 

 other points of analogy, it ought, undoubtedly, to be reunited to 

 this last species. 



This variety with close-set ribs is generally whitish ; the num- 

 ber of ribs varies in such a manner that even 30 and 35 have 

 been counted, whilst not more than from 12 to 13 are seen upon 

 the ventricose harp. These ribs are then much narrower, and 

 much more approximate, with five or six interrupted, reddish 

 yellow zones. It is particularly in the young specimens of this 

 variety, that the ribs are nearer each other, the transverse stria3 

 more apparent and more prominent. The young of the ventricose 

 harp are of a paler color, duller, and sometimes reddish ; we give 

 a figure of it, pi. IV, fi>. 7. Lamarck has established them as a 



. 11 - TT 



species under the name of HARPA stnata. 



Another variety of this same shell has more distant ribs, and 

 is remarkable for two large reddish bands, at each extremity of 

 the last whirl. The interval between these bands is of a much 

 paler color. The interstice of the ribs is adorned with reddish 

 longitudinal lines, undulated and slightly festooned at the two 

 extremities; (see our pi. VI, fig. 10). 



We give also, pi. Ill, fig. 4, the conoidal harp of Lamarck, -1 

 which presents all the characters of our type ; the only observa- /Y\ 

 ble differences consist in the form, which is a little more conoi- 

 dal, and in the ribs, the three last of which are wider, whilst the 

 others are, on the contrary, narrower than those of the ventricose 













