MELONGENA. 107 



Sub-Family MELONGENIIN^E. 



Genus MELONGENA, Schum. 



Kobelt, in his recently published monograph of Pyrula 

 (Conchylien Cabinet), adopts that genus, taking as subgenera 

 Cassidulus ( = Melongena) , Myristica, Pugilina, Volema and 

 Hemifusus These groups which are too closely related concho- 

 logically as well as by their lingual dentition, Troschel also places 

 together, but without subordinating them to a higher group. 

 Pyrula would, indeed, be an excellent name on account of its 

 acceptance years ago for the major part of the species, but 

 unfortunately the first and only species cited by Lamarck in his 

 original description of the genus is the Bulla ficus, Linn., which 

 is a member of the genus Ficula, Swainson, over which it 

 has priority, and instead of which it should therefore be adopted. 

 Cassidulus, Humphrey, has priority over Melongena, but I can- 

 not adopt it as it is a mere catalogue name, not positively iden- 

 tified. 



M. PATULA, Brod. and Sowb. PL 41, figs. 194-196. 



Chestnut-brown, banded with pale yellow or white ; aperture 

 and columella orange or yellowish flesh-color. 



Length, 4-10 inches. Panama to Mazatlan . 



The animal has a yellowish, brown-spotted foot, elongate- 

 quadrangular in shape ; head long and narrow ; siphon chestnut- 

 color ; tentacula short, distant, straight, diverging. 



Closely allied to the West Indian M. melongena, but may be 

 distinguished by its greater size and darker color. This species 

 develops no spines except at the shoulder of the whorl, where 

 they are irregularly produced, few in number, sometimes entirely 

 absent ; in M. melongena. although some specimens are equally 

 smooth and devoid of spines, there are usually on adult specimens 

 one to three rows of spines on the upper part of the body -whorl, 

 and an additional row half-way to the base of the whorl. 



M. MELONGENA, Linn. PL 41, figs. 197, 198. 



Light bluish or chocolate, with light yellowish, numerous 

 bands ; interior yellowish white. Length, 3-5 inches. 



West Indies. 



See remarks upon preceding species. 



