MOLLUSOA OF SOUTH AFEICA, 



G. E. SOWEKBY, F.L.S. 



Since the publication of my description of the remarkable 

 Ncptuneopsis Gilchristi in " Marine Investigations/' 1898, several 

 smalj lots of mollusca have been sent to me, as the results of 

 more recent dredgings, for identification and description. A con- 

 siderable proportion of these belong to well known species, some 

 of which, however, having now been taken for the first time alive, 

 are worthy of special notice, particularly the Volntilithcs abyssi- 

 cola, and the Eburna papillaris. In this paper, while making 

 mention of, and some notes on the known species, I am describing 

 six which I believe to be new to science — notably, a new Volutr 

 lithcs, making the third recent species of the genus. Of this, un- 

 fcrtunately, only dead shells have as yet been procured, but, 

 h.aving been dredged in deep water at a somewhat greater depth 

 than V- abyssicola, it is quite probable that it may still exisit in a 

 living state. 



Eburna papillaris, Sowerby (Plate II., fig 3). Tank. Cat- app. 

 22., Thes. Conch, vol iii., p. 70, pi. 215, fig. 7. 



One specimen only, procured by dredge at Algoa Bay. Lat., 

 32°5o'S. ; long., 25^ 54.' 30" E. Depth, 24 fms. Bottom, sand, 

 shells, and rock. 



With regard to the shell, there is little to add to the original 

 description, but the markings are somewhat different, consisting 

 of transversely oblong, not rounded, spots. The periostracum is 

 exceedingly thin and transparent, scarcely obscuring the pattern 

 of the 'shell. This may possibly not be always the case in thte 

 :^pecies, as the Eburn^e, like other Buccinoids, present consider- 

 able variation in the character and thickness of the periostracum 

 covering different shells of the same species; for instance. I have 

 before me an Eburna canalicidata with a thick, dark brown, scab- 

 rous coat entirely hiding the pattern of the shell, and another with 

 a light yellowish covering which is perfectly transparent, a liglit 

 veil which does not in the least mar the beauty of the pattern 

 beneath. On the other hand. E. ::cylanica appears to have invari- 

 ably a very light covering. 

 A2144. 



