MEL\aLI, : ADDITIONS TO THE GENUS LAITRUS. I 71 



I must tender Mr. G. B. Sowerby my thanks for having put before 

 me the claims of this species to recognition. It is at present unique 

 in my collection. 



II. Latirus (Peristernia) jeaniae sp. nov. 



Z. testa ovatd, abbreviata, pyramidato-fusiformi, solida, Icetissiine flavo- 

 ochracea, anfradibtis ad 8, quorum apicales duo albi, vitrei, perlceves, 

 cceteris arete longitudinaliter eostiilatis, et spiraliter liratulis, litis 

 super castas albescentibus et scepius incrassatis^ nitidiusculis, apertura 

 ovata, intus pallide puniceo-suffusa, labro tenuis columella triplicata, 

 pi ids obscuris, canal i la to, brevi. 

 Long. : 22 ; Lat. : ii mm. 

 Hab. : Mauritius. 



A most attractive, pretty species, allied to L. (Peristernia) liratus 

 Pease and gemmatus Reeve ; from the former of these, which is the 

 nearest akin, it differs in the complete absence of any darkly-shaded 

 equidistant longitudinal bands, so conspicuous a feature in liratus, 

 and from which it takes its name.^ Seven examples of this species 

 have been in my possession for many years, having been obtained in 

 1869 with others, from a new island, afterwards named Barkly Island, 

 that came into being after a tropical cyclone near the harbour of Port 

 Louis. The molluscan proceeds are wonderfully rich and varied, and 

 they were well investigated by, among others, Sir Henry Barkly, 

 the governor of the island at the time, Sir David Barclay, Bart., 

 M. Robillard, and Mr. Nicholas Pike, formerly U.S. Consul for 

 Mauritius, who has published in an interesting volume an account of 

 the cyclonic disturbances of loth, nth and 12th March, 1868, with 

 an account of the scientific exploration subsequently carried out by 

 him^ and others. • I embrace the opportunity now given me with 



I It will be necessary to change this name, now all the species are merged in Latirus, 

 owing to there being a L. lyratus Reeve, 1847. 1 therefore propose the name liratuhis for the 

 species named Peristernia lirata by Pease in 1S08. 



2 Subtropical Rambles, by Nicholas Pike. London : Sampson Low, Marston •& Searle, 1873. 

 Chap. x.xi., pp. i^d-iti, is devoted to an account of Barkly Island and its Natin-al History, 

 inclnding the Mollusca. It is there mentioned that "a peculiar characteristic of very many of 

 the shells when tirst discovered was tlieir Ijrilliaiit colour, particularly those of shades of yellow. 

 As many as 350 species have been found here, the Cones, Cypraeas, Milras, Pleurotomas and 

 Tritons being very valuable. * * * It is a misnomer to call this an island, for there is not an 

 inch of land on it, nothing but a pile of coral and shell debris raised in the centre, and sloping to 

 the reefs on either side. On the east the surf is always rolling in, but on the west side it is still 

 water." (1. c. p. 264). 



