1884.] ' lightning' and 'porcupine' expeditions. 119 



There are already too many names for this abundant and widely 

 distributed little shell ; but I fear that some of the modern species- 

 makers will contrive to invent a few more to the great detriment 

 and confusion of science. Quousque tandem abutentur patientia 

 nostra? 



v 22. Rissoa angulata l , Jeffreys. (Plate IX. fig. 5.) 



Shell forming a short and regular cone, thick, opaque, rather 

 glossy: sculpture, 10-12 strong and slightly curved longitudinal 

 ribs on each of the body- and penultimate whorls, those on the latter 

 whorl being sometimes confluent or else some being much finer than 

 the others ; the ribs on the body-whorl are not continued below the 

 periphery, which is distinctly angulated ; there are no traces of 

 spiral striae ; the upper whorls are quite smooth : colour yellowish 

 brown or dirty white : spire short : whorls 4, compresssed ; the last 

 occupies more than half of the spire ; apex blunt : suture slight : 

 mouth obtusely triangular : outer lip sharp, not crenated within : 

 inner lip thickened : pillar imperforate. L. 0*075. B. 0-05. 



'Porcupine' Exp. 1870: Med. St. Adventure Bank. Several 

 specimens, apparently semifossilized or having the interior filled with 

 small agglomerated fragments of a siliceous nature. 



Differs from R. ehrenbergi, Philippi, according to his description 

 and figure, in being more regularly conical, having 4 instead of 6 

 whorls and fewer ribs, and being destitute of spiral strise. 



k 23. Rissoa albella, Loven. 



R. albella, Lov. Ind. Moll. Scand., var. sarsii, p. 25 : B. C. iv. 

 p. 29 ; v. p. 207, pi. lxvii. f. 6. 



' Porcupine' Exp. 1870 : Med. St., Adventure Bank. 



Distribution. Norway and Sweden, Kiel Bay, Shetland, Hebrides, 

 Bantry Bay, Southampton, Dalmatia, and Southern Italy ; lami- 

 narian zone. 



Fossil. Post-tertiary : Christiania district, Uddevalla, Apulia, and 

 Oretoin Sicily; 0-100 ft. 



R. cenonen'sis of Brusina and R. targionii of Appelius, appear to 

 be also varieties of the present rather variable species. The variety 

 sarsii bears the same relation to the typical form as the var. inter- 

 rupta has to R. parva ; the principal difference between R. albella 

 and R. sarsii consists in the latter having more convex whorls, and 

 consequently a deeper suture, a slighter labial rib, and in the 

 coloured markings. 



I have satisfied myself that this is not the Paludina benzi of 

 Aradas, judging from authentic specimens of that species. Nor do 

 I consider it R. ehrenbergii of Philippi, which he found among sea- 

 weeds brought by Ehrenberg from Cattaro ; it may have been a 

 mistake as to the locality, as well as in other cases of Red-Sea shells, 

 owing to the misplacement of tickets. 



1 Angular. 



