from Sta. Barbara } California. 5 



bus ; canali recurvata ; lacuna umbilical! magna ; labro intus 

 crebrilirato ; labio conspicuo, spiraliter rugose lirato. 



Hab. Sta Barbara, Pleistocene formation (Jewett). 



Col. Jewett's single specimen is in very fine condition, and is 

 confirmed by a fragment obtained by Mr. Gabb, the palaeonto- 

 logist to the California State Survey. Although resembling 

 Purpura aperta and congeners in the irregular rugose folds of 

 the labium, and Siphonalia in the strongly bent canal, Mr. H. 

 Adams considers that its affinities are closest with the Cantharus 

 group of Pisania. That genus is extremely abundant in the 

 tropical fauna, but does not now live in California. It is the 

 only distinctly tropical shell in the whole collection; and its 

 presence, along with so many boreal species and types, appears 

 somewhat anomalous, like the appearance of Valuta and Cassi- 

 daria in the Crag fauna. It is distinguished from the extreme 

 forms of P. insignia by having the spiral lirse pretty equally dis- 

 tributed over the early whorls, by the close internal ribbing of 

 the labrum, by the absence of the stout posterior parietal tooth, 

 and by the great development of the columellar folds. 



Note. Unfortunately, during the long interval which has elapsed 

 between the transmission of the MS. and receipt of the proof, the 

 types have been returned to the owner, and (with the remainder of 

 Col. Jewett's invaluable collection of fossils) have become the pro- 

 perty of a college in New York State. As they are packed in boxes, 

 and at present inaccessible, I am unable to give the measurements ; 

 but the unique specimens were drawn on wood by Mr. Sowerby for 

 the Smithsonian Institution. P. P. C., Montreal, Feb. 22, 1866. 



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