VEXILLA, USILLA. 181 



Mr. W. H. Pease was the first to show the variability of this 

 species, and to add to its synonymy /. francolina, Brug (fig. 190), 

 and J. situla (fig. 188), which simply represent different stages 

 of sculpture and coloration. I have before me a specimen from 

 Rarotonga, nearly 3 inches in length, and very ponderous. 



Genus VEXILLA, Swains. 



V. T^ENIATA, Powis. PI. 55, figs. 184, 185. 



Brownish or chocolate, encircled by six or eight narrow, whitish 

 bands and numerous close striae. Animal bilobed in front. 



Length, -75-1 inch. 



Philippines to Paumotus ; Sandwich Isles, 



V. VEXILLUM, Chemn. PL 55, fig. LSti. 



Smooth ; yellowish, with six or eight narrow, brown, revolving 



bands. Length, '75-1 inch. 



Philippine*; Sandwich Isles. 



It is not unlikely that I '. l^niata will eventually prove to be a 

 variety of this species. D'Orbigny includes this species among 

 the mollusks of Cuba, and says that the East Indies is a locality 

 given in error ; it is scarcely necessary to remark that he is him 

 self mistaken ; the mollusk is not West Indian. 



Submenus Usilla, H. Adams. 



Founded on V. fuxvo-nujra, Pease, which differs from the typi- 

 cal Vexilla in the spire being acuminate, and the aperture some- 

 what contracted or uarrmved. 



Pease (Am. Jour. Conch., iv, 115) adopts the subgeiius, and 

 adds to it Purpu-ra h'Hroxfo-imi, Posh., and Planaxis cingulata, 

 Gould. I very much doubt whether the group will stand, as the 

 little specimen of Pease's species before me is very suggestive of 

 Piiui-nia, and Peshayes 1 species is a true Pn.rin.ira, and evidently 

 very closely allied to. and as 1 believe = P. rolumellaris. The 

 opercula of 1 'ease's and Gould's species are unfortunately un- 

 described. 



V. FUSCO-NIURA, Pease. PI. 55, tig. 187. 



Abbreviately fusiform, ventricose, solid ; spire moderatelv 

 produced, acute, and less than half the length of the shell ; whorls 

 six, convex, furnished with close, transverse, granular ribs; 



