1884.] 'lightning' AND 'porcupine' EXPEDITIONS. 363 



49. Odostomia ventricosa, Forbes. 

 Parthenia ventricosa, Forb. Rep. ^Eg. Inv. (1843), p. 188 

 ^ O. acicula, var. ventricosa, B. C. iv. p. 171 ; y. p.'2l'3, pi." kxvi. 



' Lightning ' Exp. St. 2, 5. 



' Porcupine ' Exp. 1869: 25. 1870 : Atl. 9, 17«, 26-28"; Med. 

 Benzert Road, Rasel Amoush, Adventure Bank. 



Distribution. Lofoten L to the Hydra Channel and Crete 

 Adriatic, off C. Verd L ('Talisman' Exp.), Madeira (Watsoti) {; 

 10-1 192 ims. 



Fossil. Pliocene: Italy. Post-tertiary: Biot and Leghorn. 



Although it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish this from 

 O. acicula, except as a variety, I will defer to the opinion of my 

 friend Professor G. O. Sars, and consider them separate species. 

 This kind of distinction is not very material in a scientific point of 

 view, where there is any valid or peculiar character. The present 

 species has a more delicate texture, the whorls are more swollen 

 the suture is consequently deeper, and the shell becomes more 

 attenuated towards the apex. Nevertheless, there are intermediate 

 gradations, as is the case with other allied forms. Both species 

 have several synonyms. In the Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History for 1848 I described the present species under the name of 

 Euhmella gracilis ; but Forbes did not recognize it as his Parthenia 

 ventricosa. He described his shell as " subumbilicate," a character 

 which does not belong to mine. The animal is described in the 

 Sujiplement to ' British Conchology.' 



Pyramidella nitidula, a. Adams. (Plate XXVII. fig. 8.) 



5yr«o/a (afterwards changed to Obeliscvs) nitidula, A. Adams in 

 Ann. & Mag. N. H. 1800, p. 335. 



on'"^,°f\'P'"^' ^""P- ^^'^^'- ^^1- St- 3» (var. exilis), 9, 16, 17 28- 

 30 ; Med. 45, 55 (var. exilis), Adventure Bank. ' 



Distribution. Bay of Biscay ('Travailleur ' Exp. 1881 and 188'>) 

 European and African coasts of the Mediterranean, off the Cane de 

 Zp. ,?• ('T^iJi^'"^"' Exp.), St. Thomas, D. W. I. and Fayal 



L Joi^f ^^P-)' •^^P'^" ^"'^ ^^''^^ (^- ^^«'«* and St. John); 

 4U-487^ ims. ^ 



Fossil. Pliocene : Reggio (Seffuenza). 



Synomjms. Pyramidella minuscula and P. mediterranea of Mon- 

 terosato, Obehscus svfarcinatus and O. tinctus of Watson. Perhaps 

 the variety, which I have named exilis, may be a distinct species 

 It is much smaller, narrower, and spindle-shaped; but the speci- 

 mens are too young or immature and imperfect for complete de- 

 scription. ^ 



The shell being deeply umbilicated may constitute the type of a 

 section which I would name Tiberia, in honour of that excellent 

 naturalist Dr. Nicola Tiberi of Portici near Naples 



I have carefully compared my ' Porcupine ' and Mediterranean 

 specimens with those from Japan and Corea, which I received from 



