S4 Mr. Broderip's description of 



Shell oblong, unarmed, beautifully clouded with white, yet-' 

 lowish red and flesh colour ; spire conical, short, the mamillary 

 apex smooth ; pillar 4-plaited ; the middle of the basal belt, 

 arising between the two upper parts of the pillar, marked by an 

 elevated somewhat granulated line, which becomes depressed as 

 it approaches externally the great basal notch ; * margin of the 

 exterior lip ascending upon the last whorl of the spire. Length 



about 4 inches. 



Through the kindness of Mr. Brown, I was enabled to com- 

 municate to Mr. G. B. Sowerby, Dr. Solander's description of this 

 beautiful shell ; and it is, accordingly, published in the catalogue 

 of the Tankerville collection, of which Thesaurus conchylio- 

 rum V. aulica formed one of the brightest ornaments. The 

 Doctor's manuscript has at the bottom " Habitat in Oceano I. " 

 but the last initial is written with apparent hesitation, and so as 

 to be hardly legible. I do not, therefore, feel warranted in giv- 

 ing the Indian Ocean as its locality, more especially when this 

 uncertainty is connected with what follows. In the margin of 

 the M.S. will be found the initials M.C.P. being Dr. Solander's 

 reference to the Portland Museum, in the formation of the cata- 

 logue of which he is known to have materially assisted. At lot 

 4021 of the catalogue will be found the following description — 

 " A very fine specimen of Voluta Aulica, S.^ a beautiful red 

 clouded species of the Wild Music kind, its country unknown, 

 unique^ This lot is referred to in the catalogue of Monsieur de 

 Calonne's museum, drawn up by Mr. G. Humphrey, thus " 273. 

 Aulica — Le Courtisan ou le nuage rouge — Courtier or red-clouded 

 — Voluta Aulica Soland.. This beautiful shell is unique. Its 

 country is unknown, but presumed to be from some newly-dis- 

 covered island in the South-seas. M.P. 4021." 



* The line is so distinct in this rare shell that it was thought advise- 

 able not to omit the mention of it. But we must be careful not to rely on it 

 as a specific character; for its presence or absence in different subjects 

 of the same species of Volutes, seems to be almost matter of accident. 

 That this belt is divided in many species by a line sometimes elevated, some- 

 times depressed, and sometimes nearly obsolete, will be seen by every accu- 

 rate observer. There must be, therefore, some corresponding formation in 

 the moUuscum. 



