minute; body-whorl descending, frequently I'm- or nearly free from 

 tin- preceding, in section subtriangular, angled below ami K->> con- 

 spicuously so at the, shoulder; all over finely spirally lirate, the line 

 either smooth, densely s(|uaniose or spinosc ; periphery bearing 

 large irregular more or less hollow foliated processes, which droop 

 ibreward or downward ; one or two series of smaller spines usually 

 revolve about the middle of the last whorl; base carinated, the 

 earina usually nodose or irregular, bounding a circumtimbilical 

 tract usually acutely s<juainose; the umbilicus proper is narrow 

 and deep; aperture rounded trigonal, inside perfectly circular, 

 pearly, white or tinged with golden ; peristome irregular, acute, the 

 columellar margin sinuous, the base more or less produced. Color 

 whitish, pink or yellowish, the projecting processes and spine]et> 

 often redder or blackish. 



Alt. 55, diam. 70 mill. ; alt. 35, diam. 55 mill. 



Indian 0. ; E. Indies; Philippines ; Merg/i! Archipelago, etc. 



The following are synonyms: D. delphinulm Linn., I), farmoxn 

 live. (pi. 05, fig. 9, 11; pi. 67, fig. 3 ), I), incisa Reeve ( pi. d<>, fig. 1 <! , 

 D. nodosa Rve. (pi. 66, fig. 18), D. nodulosa (Gin.) Phil. I), aeu- 

 leata live. (pi. (id, fig. 14) and 1). euraeanthra A. Ad. (pi. dd, iig. 17) 

 are forms intermediate between the type and var. melanaoantha. 



Turbo delphinntn* of Linnaeus, was undoubtedly the first binomial 

 name applied to this form ; but since it has been ignored by authors 

 for more than a century, science would probably not be benefitted 

 by an attempt to revive it. 



The variation in form, sculpture and color in Delph'uinlu is very 

 _rreat. I am unable to distinguish the numerous species described 

 by Reeve. The last whorl, in D. ladniata, may be deeply descend- 

 ing, almost or quite free from the preceding at the aperture, or it 

 may be but slightly descending, nearly planorboid. Its upper sur- 

 face is plane or very obscurely radiately undulate. The peripheral 

 spines in the typical form defined above, are large, foliated, and 

 drooping; but are nearly as frequently narrow and subsimple. The 

 following varieties may, when typically developed, be distinguished ; 

 but the transition forms are more numerous in collections than the 

 typical ones. 



Var. ATRATA Reeve, 1842. PL 66, fig. 15. 



Differs from the type in having the superior series of foliations or 

 spines less conspicuous and those upon the middle and base of the 

 whorl numerous and more developed: peristome pink-margined 

 within ; ground-color pink or grayish, lirse and spines black. 



