370 mr. a. adams on japanese muricin^b. [dec. 9, 



7. On the Species of Muricin^ found in Japan. 

 By Arthur Adams, F.L.S. 



In the recent ' MoUusca Japonica ' of Dunker three species of 

 Murex only are enumerated, one of which belongs more properly to 

 the purpuroid genus Sistrum. During my recent explorations in 

 Japan I collected upwards of twenty-six species of the genus, taken 

 in its Lamarckian sense, besides three species of Typhis and ten of 

 Trophon. In the southern parts of the Sea of Japan we find a few 

 examples of the long-beaked spiny Murex proper and the Chicoreus 

 of Montfort, a group with frondose and branching varices. In the 

 north these seem to give place to the winged Murieince, composing 

 the groups named Pteronotus and Phyllonotus by Swainson ; and 

 further north still to the fusoid Trophon of Denys de Montfort, 

 with laciniated varices. The Muricidea of Swainson, composed of 

 small coronate forms, also comes into notice, as does also the mono- 

 ceroid Cerastoma of Conrad, which, with a muriciform shell, has a 

 purpuroid operculum like that of Vitularia. 



1. Murex, Linn. 



1. Murex tribulus, Linn. 



Murex tribulus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12 ed. p. 1214 ; Reeve, Mon. 

 Murex, sp. 82. 



M. crassispina, Lam. 



M, tenuispina, Kien., not Lam. 



Hah. Simidsu. 



2. Murex tenuispinus. Lam. 



Murex tenuispma, Lam. An. s. Vert. ix. p. 566 ; Reeve, sp. 85. 

 Sab. 0-Sima. 



3. Murex aduncospinosus. Beck. 



Murex ternispina, Sow. 



M. aduncospinosus, Reeve, sp. 93. 



Hab. Kuro-Sima. 



4. Murex sobrinus, A. Ad. 



M. testa ovata, spira acuta; anfractihus 7, convexis, longitudina- 

 liter nodoso-plicatis, transversim liratis, varicibus tribus, valde 

 spinosis, spinis duabus uncinatis acutis ; apertura vix circulari, 

 eanali recto, eluuso, valde producto, ad basin spinoso, ad extre- 

 mitatem rufo-fusco variegato : pallide fusca, fascia transversa 

 lata rufo-fusca (in anfractu ultimo duabus) ornata. 

 Hab. Satanomosaki, 55 fathoms; Gotto, 48 fathoms; Kuro-Sima, 

 29 fathoms. 



This Murex is very similar to several others in the same group, 

 but cannot be correctly referred to any of the species already de- 

 scribed. There are two red-brown bands on the last whorl, and the 

 end of the long straight beak is variegated with the same colour. 



