05 



or six angular turns ; rather obtuse longitudinal ribs, appearing as if 

 interwoven with transverse, close, squamose, cord-like ridges; the colu- 

 melia slightly umbi Heated, with a very small tooth-like projection ; and 

 the right lip rather denticulated. 



Murex 'tubifer, Lam. Murex pungens, Brand. Foss. hant. Fig. 81, 82. 

 An oval shell, terminating in a point at each end, and furnished with, 

 generally, four ridges, beset with hollow, bent, and pointed spines, and 

 with short tubes ; and not, as thev appear to be, broken spines, disposed 

 between the spinous ridges. The fistulous spines and short tubes with 

 which this shell is beset, render it very remarkable, and distinguish it 

 from every other shell. It is found both in Hampshire and Grignon. A 

 very fine specimen of this shell is represented Plate V. Fig. 15. It is 

 said by Bruguiere, that the recent analogue of this extraordinary shell 

 was in the late Dr. Hunter's Museum. 



In this genus must be also placed the shell which is so well known by 

 the appellation of the Essex reversed whelk, the twirls passing from the 

 right hand to the left. This shell is figured by Lister, Histor. Conchyl 

 Tab. 950, Fig. 44, b and c ; and by Dale, History of Harwich, Plate x. 

 Fig. 6 ; and is considered as a murex, M. contrarius, by Linnaeus, Sys- 

 tem. Natur Tom. i. p. vi. p. 3564. Considerable variety occurs in the 

 surface of these shells : some are strongly marked with longitudinal linear 

 markings, and are without any transverse markings; whilst in others 

 transverse linear markings, single or double, are plainly seen, and no 

 longitudinal rugae exist. In some few I have observed these markings 

 so determined and distinct, as almost to authorize the regarding of them 

 as specific characters. Plate VI. Fig. 1, represents one of these shells, 

 of rather a small size. 



This shell, which sometimes reaches to full three inches in length, has 

 six or seven turns in the spire ; the last, or body-whirl, is large and glo- 

 bose : the left lip sometimes rising in a strong ridge; and is, as well as 

 the right lip, very smooth on its inner side : the columeJla is disposed to 



VOL. III. K 



