46 AMERICAN MARINE CONCHOLOGY. 



1. 0. LITERATA, Lamarck. Fig. 14. 



Ann. du Mus., xvi. 315. 1811. 

 Say, Am. Conch., i. pi. 3. 1830. 



Shell with a pale yellowish-white ground color, thickly covered 

 with cinereous-rufous angulated lines, leaving distinct triangles of 

 the ground color; on each side of the middle is a broad band, oc- 

 casioned by the angulated lines being there of a deeper or chestnut- 

 brown color ; the angulated lines at the upper edge of the volu- 

 tions are fasciculated and of the same color as the bands. 



Length 50, diam. 17 mill. 



Southern Coast. 



A rather large shell, with longer spire, of lighter texture, and 

 more cylindrical than 0. reticularis of the West Indies, which it 

 much resembles. 



2. 0. MUTICA, Say. Figs. 75, 76. 



Journ. Philad. Acad., ii. 228. 1822. 



Shell suboval, white, or yellowish-white ; body-whorl with about 

 three revolving maculated bands of pale rufous, of which the su- 

 perior one is continued upon the spire, the intermediate one is 

 dilated so as to be sometimes confluent with the inferior one, which 

 is the narrowest; spire short; suture very narrow; columella des- 

 titute of striae. 



Length 10 to 15, diam. 5 to 7 mill. 



North Carolina, southwards. 



A very common species, generally of the smallest dimensions 

 stated. In coloring it is infinitely variable, the ground color run- 

 ning through all shades from white to dark chocolate, with or with- 

 out bands. 



Family CONID^E. 



Shell inversely conical or fusiform; aperture long and narrow, 

 outer lip notched at or near the suture; columella without plaits. 

 Operculum minute, lamellar. 



Synopsis of Genera. 



Shell turreted, fusiform ; spire elevated ; aperture oval ; canal long and 

 straight; columella smooth ; outer lip notched anteriorly and with a deep 

 slit near the suture. Operculum ovate, nucleus apical. 



PLEUROTOMA, Lamarck. 



Shell turreted ; spire raised ; aperture oval ; canal short, recurved ; inner 

 lip thickened; outer lip inflexed, with a deep posterior sinus, and a small 

 inus at the forepart. DKILLIA, Gray. 



