296 



BULLETIN OF THE 



Natica fringilla var. perla Dall. 



Plate XXI. Fig. 11. 



Differs from the type of the species in the absence of the radiating wrinkles 

 in front of the suture, and in having somewhat rounder whorls and a decidedly 

 emaller umbilicus. Alt. 6.5 mm. 



Habitat, Station 226, in 424 fms., sand and ooze, near St. Vincent, bottom 

 temperature 42°. 5 F. 



The Lunatia suhplicata Jeffreys is less elevated, has merely faint irregular 

 wrinkles instead of the strong, regularly spaced, spoke-like radiations of this 

 species, and is a much lighter shell. It recalls L. gronlandica Beck, of which 

 it might be a small deep-water race. If identical with fringilla it would be a 

 synonym of it. 



The N. radiata Watson, from 435 fms., near Bermuda, recalls, by the de- 

 scription, our species. The figure, however, has a more pointed apex and 

 rounder whorls. This plate, however, is less well executed than most of the 

 Challenger plates, and may not be reliable. In case, on comparison of speci- 

 mens, they should prove to be the same, Mr. Watson's name has priority. 



Subgenus POLINICES Montfort. 



Polinices uberina Orbignt. 



Natica uberina Orbigny, Moll. Cub., II. p. 31, pi. xvii. fig. 19, 1842. Morch, Malak- 

 Blatt., XXIV. p. 60, 1877. 



Habitat. Off Sombrero, in 54-70 fms. Gulf of Mexico and on the west 

 coast of Florida, 14-40 fms., living, U. S. Fish Commission. 



This may be only a small race of N. lactea Guilding. I have not the 

 material to determine the matter positively, and prefer to refer to a name 

 which exactly applies to our specimens. 



When fresh they are covered with a rather dark yellow epidermis, which is 

 thickened to a reddish brown in the furrow of the umbilicus. N. caribcea 

 Phil., N. Pfeifferi Phil., N. porcellana (Orb.) Morch, and N. ochrostoma Recluz, 

 are probably synonymous. 



Judging by the specimens dredged by the U. S. Fish Commission, this 

 species is rather common in moderate depths of water off the Carolina coast. 



Among the Naticidce characteristic of the Antillean region, but not above 

 referred to, are N. (Lunatia) semisulcata Gray (recently named N. Fordiana 

 by an inadvertence), which was collected at Sarasota Bay, West Florida, by 

 Mr. C. T. Simpson, living, between tides on a sand-bar; N. (Stigmaulax) sulcata 

 Born; and N. (Polinices) hrunnea Link (+ mamillaris Lam.)c N. (Neverita) 

 duplicata Say (-f campecJiiensis Becluz, +fossata Gould, + texasiana Rdmer) 

 and N. (Cochlis) pusilla Say are more northern in their distribution; the latter 

 may not pass south of the Florida Keys. 



