45 TRANSACTIONS OF THE WAGNER FREE 



which finally distinctly marginates the end of the last whorl ; spire low, in- 

 vaded by the body-callus, but slightly surpassing the outer lip in height; inner 

 lip with a polished callosity particularly marked and elevated behind the mid- 

 dle of the aperture ; plaits five, the anterior the larger, the fifth feeble but 

 always present in the adult ; outer lip thick, nearly straight in the middle, in- 

 ternally denticulate, prolonged behind and curved on to the preceding whorl ; 

 aperture subequal, not very wide. Lon. of average specimen 16.0 ; of aper- 

 ture 15.2; lat. 10.5 mm. 



Caloosahatchie beds. 



This species weathers so as to present longitudinal ribbing, but this is 

 adventitious. It had originally the coloring of some varieties of M. apicina, 

 but the white spots were larger and more sharply defined. M. nivosa shows 

 similar but smaller spots on a pale ground. 



This species recalls M. cassis Dall from the West Indies, but has a smaller 

 spire, its shell is larger, heavier, fuller and rounder behind, is of a different 

 color and has one more plait. 



Than the spotted variety of M. apicina it is larger, more triangular, with a 

 lower spire, more angular behind, and the posterior turn of the outer lip 

 relatively more posterior. From M. limatida it differs in color, shape, and 

 height of spire. The figure was made from a specimen not showing the spots, 

 which in disposition resemble those of figure 2 on the same plate. 



Marginella virginiana Conrad. 

 Pru?iutn virginiana (.sic) Conrad, Am. Journ. Conch, iv. p. 67, pi. 5, fig. 4, 1868. 



Miocene, James River, Virginia. Pliocene, Caloosahatchie beds. Recent, 

 off the east coast of North America, from North Carolina to Yucatan, in 14 to 25 

 fathoms, sand. 



This species is well represented in the marl from the Caloosahatchie and 

 in the inshore dredgings of the U. S. Fish Commission off the Carolinas. At 

 first the recent specimens were not recognized and were taken for a diminutive 

 race of M. amabilis Redfield, undei- which name some of them have been sent 

 out. The colors of the recent shell in its finest condition are pale flesh-color, 

 with or without a darker band in front of the suture on the last whorl, and an- 

 other near the anterior end following the direction of the posterior plait around 

 the shell. In front of the last dark band, when present, and on the spire and 

 outer lip, the shell is whiter, and on the body a close inspection shows that the 

 whole flesh-colored surface is closely dotted with small flecks of pale yellow or 

 brown. The interior of the aperture is pink. From this, which represents the 

 most perfect condition, the fresh shells vary to yellowish and white. There 

 are four oblique plaits, of which the anterior pair are stronger and more con- 

 tiguous. The fossils sometimes retain traces of the body-color. Conrad's 

 figure is shorter and stouter than the average form of the species, though such 

 specimens occur. 



