30^ Mr. Broderip's descriptions 



have to toil on towards a natural arrangement. And let us not 

 be discouraged because we cannot aflFord the most satisfactory 

 details. Till we can obtain a more complete knowledge of the 

 inhabiting animals, we may contribute such information as is to 

 be derived from a careful examination of their exuviae with a 

 view to their probable structure; in the hope that every addition 

 may, at least, assist the Geologist, and perhaps form a step, how- 

 ever small, for the advance of natural science. 



Under the impression that no communication of this kind will 

 be considered devoid of interest, and anxious to contribute any 

 aid however feeble, which my own stores enable me to offer, I 

 proceed to give the following descriptions. 



VoLUTA RUTiLA. — Red-banded Volute. 



V. testa ovato-oblonga, rufescente, maculis subtrigonis, con- 

 fluentibus, croceo-rubris varia; spira brevi, sutura simplici ; apice 

 papillari, subgranulato : anfractu basali tuberculis elongatis ar- 

 mato fasciisque 2 latis, iuterruptis, rutiiis, ornato ; columella 

 4-plicata. > 



var. Anfractu basali inermi. 



Mus. nost. Habitat in Ocean. Austral ? 



Icon. Tab. III. 



Shell ovate-oblong, reddish or flesh-coloured, covered thickly 

 with confluent, subtrigonal reticulations of a saff"ron red. The 

 spire short, its suture unarmed, the apex papillary and slightly 

 granulated or beaded. The body-whorl armed with elongated 

 tubercles, ornamented with two broad interrupted bands of a 

 deeper and more vivid red, and with oblique irregular stripes of 

 the same colour, extending from the suture to the tubercles in the 

 tuberculated variety, and from the suture to the shoulder of the 

 body whorl in the smooth variety. Pillar four-plaited, the two 

 lowest plaits rather largest. Length about three inches. 



This beautiful volute was received from a South Sea whaler by 

 Mrs. Mawe, who could not learn from the possessor of it the 

 name of the place where it was found. There were brought at 

 the same time and by the same hand three others : but they had 



