O L I V A purpurata. 

 Purple-mouthed Olive. 



Family Volutidse. — Genus Oliva. Auct, 

 Sub-genus, Olivella. 



Characters. 



^/7?V^ of the shell lengthened, conic, the tip acute: inner lip not 

 thickened, outer lip straight : base of the pillar curved in- 

 wards, and marked by 2 strong plaits ; upper plaits evanes- 

 cent, or entirely wanting. Aperture effuse, and closed by an 

 operculum ? Nobis, 



Specific Character. 



Shell ivhiteish, xcith a very acute spire, nearly as lotig as the aper- 

 ture ; middle of the body whorl marked by augulated b7-oivn 

 lilies : suture with spots and fascicles of longitudinal stripes : 

 basal belt very broad : aperture purple. 



Oliva biplicata ? Soiv. Tank. Cat. No. 2332. p. 33. 



This shell may be considered as typical of a small group of 

 Olives, which Ave suspect are peculiar to the American 

 seas ; they oifer many points of difference from those of the 

 Indian Ocean. We recollect to have seen another species, 

 in some cabinet, with a small operculum. We have been 

 fearful of pronouncing this to be the O. biplicata, as the 

 judicious Conchologist will perceive the two descriptions 

 do not exactly agree ; and we have another to which the 

 characters given of bliplicata will equally well apply. The 

 perpendicular line indicates the natural size. 



OLIVA eburnea. 



Ivory Olive. 



Shell entirely xchitc, or marked by tico bands of angulatcd 

 purplish spots; pillar about 8-9 plaited: basal belt and 

 spire ahvays ivhite ; the former single, 



Oliva eburnea. Lam. Syst. 7. I. p. 438. 



This is the very common little Olive, sent in such abund- 

 ance in the West India boxes of shells ; we figure it, be- 

 cause it is seldom rightly named in collections, being con- 

 founded with conoidalis. oryza, and several others of an 

 equally diminutive size: the plaits are sharp, short, well 

 defined, and nearly all of equal size ; although the base of 

 the pillar forms an internal elevation. 



