THE NAUTILUS. 33 



tuberculated, rather high, acute, and sculptured with distinct revolv- 

 ing raised lines ; prominent revolving ridges also mark the entire 

 body-whorl, or in some specimens a large portion of it. The color 

 is uniform dark salmon, except the spire, which tends to whiteness, 

 while the aperture is lighter and brighter than the external part?, 

 and anteriorly has just a suggestion of purple. The epidermis is thin. 



Specimens were taken in large quantities, and were fully ma- 

 tured, with lip expanded in the characteristic way. I also have six 

 quite young shells, which contained hermit-crabs, in which the lip is 

 incomplete. My attention was first called to the small size of these 

 shells by my friend Mr. Morris Schick, of Tropico, CaL, to whom I 

 sent specimens from Nicaragua about 1902. I was loth, however, 

 to report the shell as a new variety until Mr. C. TV. Johnson wrote 

 me, saying : " The beautiful little Stromb certainly deserves a var- 

 ietal name. * * * * They are gems, and are as distinct as many of 

 the varieties to which names have been given. They are only about 

 half the size of my Florida and West Indian specimens." I then 

 requested Mr. Johnson to describe the shell in The Nautilus, but 

 he generously asked me to do so. I hope this will explain how I came 

 to " butt into" the variety-making business, and will appease the 

 wrath of the bunchers. 



I wish to acknowledge that Mr. Johnson has pointed out to me 

 several of the points of difference in my shell, and has also suggested 

 the very appropriate varietal name. 



Specimens were taken now and then all along the beach between 

 the Principulka and the Wawa rivers. At Kia, an Indian village 

 13 miles north of Wounta Haulover, the natives find it in such 

 quantities that it is regularly sought after as an article of food. 

 Boiled " atula," as the Indians call it, is tough eating, almost as 

 tough as old parrot, as I know from experience when dining under 

 the palms at Kia, but " any old thing " satisfies a hungry traveler 

 when plenty of green cocoanut water can be had to wash it down. 



Inquiry among the people elicited the fact that most of these mol- 

 luscs were found just north of the Wawa river, about four miles from 

 the village. I went there and found large quantities of them in the 

 shallow water. This mollusc is a very beautiful one ; the eyes are 

 remarkable and seem to be eying one, and are ever on the alert. 

 It is about as active a snail as I ever saw, using its operculum as a 

 lever by which it was enabled to leap out of a gla<s fruit dish in 



