CYLLENE. 223 



I know nothing of this shell. It may be a distorted Nassaria, 

 and is equally likely to be a Coralliophila. It was described as 

 a Murex which it certainty is not. 



N. CURTA, Gould (imfigured). Port Jackson (W. Stimpson). 



N. PAGODA, Reeve described as a Triton, and referred by Kobelt 

 to this genus, is a true Nassa from Panama. 



N. ANGICOSTATA. Pease (= Buccinum farinosum Gould), is an 

 Engina. 



N. AMBOYNENSIS. Watson. Amboyna. 



Not figured. It is said to resemble ik N. acuminata. Rve., but 

 is shorter, squatter, coarser, with more ribs, is deeper in suture ; 

 the canal is shorter, more recurved, and more twisted." 



(Jen us CYLLENE, Gray. 



The species of Cyllene inhabit the intertropical coasts of 

 Africa, the Malaysian Archipelago, etc. They live with the 

 Nassas along shore lines and do not appear to inhabit great 

 depths. The animal which is unknown, is supposed, from the, 

 sutural slit which characterizes the shell, to possess a mantle 

 provided with a prolongation or fold occupying this slit, some- 

 what analogous perhaps, with that of Oliva. The operculum of 

 C. lyrata is elongated, rhomboidal, with terminal nucleus, exter- 

 nally concave, internally convex. 



The genus has been monographed by Sowerby, in his "The- 

 saurus." Specimens are rare in collections, and the want of 

 material prevents me from proving or disproving the suspicion 

 which I strongly entertain that all the forms described are mere 

 variations of a single protean species. It is certain that neither 

 coloring nor sculpture present reliable characters, and even 

 Sowerby places together ribbed and plain specimens in his 

 C. plumbea. 



C. LYRATA, Lam. PL 84, figs. 555-560. 



Whitish, sometimes with interrupted bands, or a single band. 

 Length, -75 in. 



W. Africa. 



