230 ASTRALIUM. 



Var. GIRGYLLUS Reeve, 1861. PI. 55, fig. 65. 



" Very closely related to the preceding, but distinguished by a 

 more square form, while the scales are curiously expanded." 



(Reeve.) China. 



A. TUBSICUS Reeve, 1848. PI. 48, fig. 35. 



Shell somewhat pyramidally ovate, imperforated ; sutures of spire 

 excavated ; whorls spirally squamately ridged, slanting around the 

 upper part, sharply angled, erectly squamate at the angle ; aperture 

 small ; yellowish, beautifully rayed with scarlet red. 



Alt. 22, diam. 22 mill. 



Philippine Is. 



Calcar turcicus (Rve.) Fischer is the same. 



Reeve's figure and description are copied above. Of this form 

 Mr. E. A. Smith says : 



This beautiful species is well characterized by its style of paint- 

 ing. It is whitish with broad scarlet rays, particularly distinct on 

 the sloping upper surfaces of the whorls ; these are sometimes 

 edged with black posteriorly, and the suture is more or less stained 

 with that color. The lower part of the body-whorl i.^ for the most 

 part scarlet with a few narrow white streaks (sometimes black-spot- 

 ted) radiating from the umbilical region. The operculum is white, 

 thick, convex, and granose externally. (Zool. Coll. H. M. 8. 

 'Alert.' p. 504.) 



T. tursicus was collected by the ' Alert ' at Darros Island, one 

 of the Amirante group. I have copied on pi. 09, fig. 27, Mr. 

 Smith's figures. The species apparently is not a Bolma, but with- 

 out examining the shells and ascertaining the position of the 

 nucleus and nature of the whorls of the operculum, I am not able 

 to form an opinion as to its true position. 



Subgenus CYCLOCANTIIA Swainson, 1840. 



Shell conic or depressed trochiform, usually imperforatc ; whorls 

 above smooth, granulate or plicate ; periphery spinose, tuberculate, 

 or with a projecting flange ; base convex, flat, or concave, concen- 

 trically lirate ; coiumella with a more or less obvious tubercle at 

 the base; operculum oval, convex outside, with a more or less 

 prominent curved central rib, its terminations connected or nearly 

 so by a straight short accessory rib. 



Indo-Pacific, Austmlo-Zealandic and Japonic Provinces. 



