HALIOTIS. 93 



Var. JANUS Reeve. PI. 9, fig. 48. 



Shell oblong-ovate, spirally ridged, ridges fine, narrow, interstices 

 excavated, six perforations open ; yellowish-orange, ornamented 

 next to the perforations with a broad white band, colored with large 

 broad spots. The peculiar double style of painting which this shell 

 exhibits is peculiar to the species, and not, as one might be led to 

 imagine, a mere casual variety. (Reeve.) 



Habitat unknown. 



H. ROSACEA Reeve. PL 24, figs. 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65. 



Shell oval, depressed, distance of apex from margin one-eighth to 

 one-tenth the length of shell; closely, finely striate spirally, decus- 

 sated by still finer and closer growth-stride ; color reddish-brown, 

 generally with white patches ; perforations 6. 



The right side is not quite as much curved as the left, and the 

 shell is rather depressed. It is quite solid and heavy. The outside 

 is dark reddish-brown, sometimes without markings, but usually 

 having angular patches of white or greenish around the middle 

 part of the body-whorl, and on the spire. The spiral strife of the surface 

 are fine, close, often disposed in pairs ; they are decussated by very 

 close fine radiating striae. The spire is low, inside silvery, smooth 

 except for fine spiral folds in the nacre, which has light green and 

 red reflections. Columellar plate flat, wide (its width one-sixth to one- 

 seventh the width of shell), generally not sloping inward or slightly 

 so, and not distinctly truncate below. Cavity of spire wholly or 

 partly concealed if the plane of the peristome is held at a right 

 angle to the line of vision. Perforations oval, situated in slight 

 prominences, separated by spaces greater than their own length, 5 

 or 6 in number. 



Length 55, width 38, convexity 11 mill. 



Length 59, width 41, convexity 11 mill. 



West Coast of Africa. (Phil. Acad. Coll.) 



H. decussata PHIL. Abbild. u. Beschreib. etc., iii, p. 89, t. 9, f. 

 2a, b (April, 1850). WEINKAUFF, Conchyl. Cab., p. 43, t. 17, f. 

 3, 4. H. virginea REEVE, Conch. Icon., f. 36 (not virginea Chem.). 

 H. rosacea REEVE, Conch. Icon., f. 60 (July, 1846). H. mar- 

 morata SOWB. Thes. Conch., t. 11, f. 88, 89. (Not of Linne nor 

 Gray.) 



A species easily recognized by its closely decussated sculpture, 

 broad columella, edged outside with red, and by the outer lip which 



