OF SOUTHERN INDIA. 91 
1. ATHLETA PURPURIFORMIS, Forbes, sp. Pl. VIII, Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7. 
1846. Voluta purpuriformis, Forbes, Trans. Geol. Soc. Lond. VII, p. 130, Pl. 12, Fig. 2. 
1847. Fusus ponderosus, D’Orbigny, Voy. Astrolabe et Zélée, Pal. Pl. 2, Fig. 33. 
1850. Fusus op D’Orbigny, Prod. II, p. 229; idem Gabb, Pictet, and others. 
Athl. testa ovata; spira brevi, acuminata, apice papillari; anfractibus 5—7, ad 
suturam unpressis, plus minusve contractis seu lente excavatis, ultimo ventricoso ; super- 
jicie spiraliter sulcosa, sulcis in ultimo anfractu seniorun speciminum subobsoletis ; 
apertura ovata, postice acuta, subcanaliculata, antice emarginata ; canali recto, ad ter- 
minationem margine paulum reflexo ; plicis columellaribus quinis, anticis maximis. 
Spiral angle 75°—85°; sutural angle 9°. 
Height of last whorl : total height of shell (taken as 1:00) se. 0°73—0'80. 
Shell elongated ovate, with a pointed spire, consisting usually of six volu- 
tions, the uppermost of which are smooth, mamillated, and the succeeding always 
more or less contracted and consequently excavated along the suture. The last 
whorl is ventricose, especially in adult specimens, embracing more than two-thirds of 
the previous whorls and leaving only a comparatively short spire visible. The young 
shell is all over spirally sulcated, the sulci being all of equal width, except a few 
near the suture, where they are placed closer to each other. With advancing age 
the shell becomes more or less covered with an enamel coating, the sulci become 
broader than the elevated interspaces between them, and gradually disappear totally 
on the median portion of the whorls. 
The aperture is enlarged ovate; the outer lip gradually becomes thinner 
towards the margin; the inner lip is posteriorly considerably thickened, especially 
where it unites with the outer lip, forming a slight canal. This callosity, arising 
from the united margins of the outer and inner lips, covers the lower portions of 
all the preceding whorls. On perfect specimens only the three anterior folds are 
slightly perceptible, but a little farther internally I have traced two more, and. it 
is possible that one or two may still be shown to exist in full grown specimens. 
The anterior folds are the strongest, as in all other rozvrzvz. The canal is 
pretty long, and although it has not been observed quite perfect, there cannot be a 
question, that its margin has been somewhat reflexed upwards, and deeply emargi- 
nated, in which point this species appears to resemble rather more some of the 
Cassipip# than of the rozurinz. D’Orbigny has been certainly misled in placing 
the species under Fusus, because Forbes has neither mentioned nor figured any colu- 
mellar plaits. D’Orbigny’s Fusus ponderosus, figured in the Paléontologié of the 
Astrolabe, can certainly apply only to the same species. 
Localities —Pondicherry ; neighbourhood of Kullygoody and between Andoor 
and Veraghoor; common, but very rare in good preservation. The shell of the 
specimens from Kullygoody is often covered all over with small round holes, pro- 
duced by some kind of shell-boring Amorphozoa. 
Formation.—(?) Valudayur- and Trichinopoly-groups. 
