MITRA bifosciata. 

 Double-handed Mitre. 



Generic Character. — See PI. 23. 



Specific Character. 



M. (DivA.) texfd lavl, castaneo-fiisca concolore, (uifractu basali fasciis dua- 

 lus angustis Jiuvescentihus, spira wiij'asciatd aperturu lavL 



Shell smooth, uniform chesnut-brown, with two narrow yellowish bands 



on the basal whorl, and one on the spire ; aperture smooth. 

 Voluta caffra. Martini iv. tab. 148. fg. 1369. 

 Knorr. vol. v. tab. 19. fig. 4, 5. 



1 HIS most elegant shell has been figured from one of the spe- 

 cimens that belonged to the late Mr. Jennings, who was well 

 known to spare neither expense nor assiduity in procuring the 

 most select and matchless specimens of every species ; so much 

 so, indeed, that such as are known to have been in his posses- 

 sion generally bear a higher price. One of these is now in my 

 father's cabinet, the other in that of Mrs. Bolton, of Storr's-hall, 

 Windermere. I have seen both, and they appear equally fine. 



I cannot help considering this as a distinct species from Mitra 

 caffra {Voluta caffra Linn.), with which it has hitherto been 

 placed only as a variety : it is much larger, the volutions more 

 convex, but compressed on the suture, and the whole shell (ex- 

 cept near the point) perfectly smooth : the beak or channel like- 

 wise, which in ill. caffra is short and nearly straight, is in this 

 lengthened and recurved. The mouth is very narrow (occa- 

 sioned by the outer lip being thick and slightly inflexed) and 

 smooth within, the terminal volutions slightly plaited, and the 

 base of the shell grooved. 



The figures of Knorr and Martini are very bad, and give no 

 correct idea of the shell, except its colour. 

 ri.3o. 



