MITRA pertusa. var. 



Cardinal Mitre — large spotted variety. 

 Generic Character. — See Pi. 23. 



Specific Character. 



M. sect. 3. Testd ovato-acufd, albd ; striis transversis puncticulatis 

 ornatd, anfractu basali crasso, tesseris parvis plurimis spadiceis vit- 

 tato, tesserisqiie majoribus bifasciato ; labio exteriore denticulato. 



M. Shell ovate-acute, white, with transverse punctured striae ; the 

 basal whorl thick, with numerous bands consisting of small, 

 and two of large tessellated spots; outer lip toothed. 



J\lucH uncertainty exists respecting the shell which Lin- 

 naeus intended for his Voluta pertusa, owing to the inaccuracy 

 of the synonyms, which refer to species widely different 

 from each other; the majority of authors have, however, 

 considered it to be the shell figured by Born and Martini, 

 under that name, and recently by myself in Exotic Coii- 

 chology. As a species, it is principally distinguished by the 

 rows of irregular brown spots which are always disposed 

 in transverse bands, running into larger blotches adjoining 

 the suture, and near the base of the body whorl, which is 

 thick and obtuse ; the lesser spots are mostly tessellated or 

 quadrangular, but in size they vary considerably in different 

 individuals, and even in the same shell ; this has induced 

 Lamarck to separate them into two species, but which, for 

 reasons to be hereafter given, appears to me unnecessary. 



The variety here figured is very rare, nor have I seen 

 more than two examples ; it differs only from the usual 

 varieties in having the spots remarkably large. In a future 

 plate this species will be further illustrated, and the correct 

 synonyms of all the varieties then given. Inhabits various 

 parts of the Asiatic ocean. 



PI. 113. 



