Baker — Critical Notes on the Muricidae. 381 



Omel.); UupIiyUon, Jouss., 1880 (type M. monodon, Sowb.; 

 Jjiermicosta^ Jouss., 1880 (type M. fasciatus Sowb.). So 

 far as my material goes, I am able to trace a gradual transi- 

 tion from very spinose to a condition entirely destitute of 

 spines. Some character other than the shell must be chosen 

 upon which to base the subdivisions of this group, if, indeed, 

 such division is necessary. 



MuREX MrcROPHYLLUS Lam. 



Murex microphyllus Lam., An. sans Vert., IX, p. 576. 



Murex Poirieri^ Jousseaume (Le Naturaliste, No. 44, p. 

 349 ; Nouvelles Archives du Museum, p. 58, pi. iv, fig. 2, a, b, 

 1882) is a synonym of microphyllus. I can find no dis- 

 tinctive characters in the descriptioli, and I have seen typical 

 specimens o{ microphyllus Vfhich CBinnoi be distinguished from 

 the figure. Murex Jousseaumei Poirier, described in the 

 same paper, is also a synonym. 



Murex Banks ii Sowb. 



Murex Banksii Sowb., Conch. 111., flg. 82. 



Murex Bourguignaiiy Poirier (Nouvelles Archives du 

 Museum, p. 57, pi. v, fig. 2, a, b), is a synonym of this 

 species. 



Murex torrefactus Sowb. 



Murex torrefactus Sowb., Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 141, 1840; Conch., 111., flg. 

 120. 



Murex Rochehruni Poirier (Nouvelles Archives du Mu- 

 seum, p. 57, pl.v, fig. 1, a, b), is a slim, elongated form of 

 this species. In the last three species the authors have been 

 unfortunate in fixing upon the frondosity as a specific charac- 

 > ter, really one of the most mutable characters of the whole 

 family. Particularly in this subgenus is this variation most 

 perplexing, and instead of new species being found, old ones 

 will be seen to merge with others, and a reduction of species 

 will be the result. 



Murex rufus Lamarck. 



Murex rufus Lam., Anim. sans Vert., IX, p. 574. 



This species is not a synonym of Mur^c adustus Lam., as 

 quoted by Mr. Tryon. Dr. W. H. Dall quotes it from the 



