234 JOURNAL OV CONCHOLOGY, VOL. 9, NO. 8, OCTOBER, 1899. 



the lesser-sized shell. Indeed, we are tending towards the opinion 

 that Philippi described C. caput-anguis from an abnormally small 

 individual, and, on this assumption, and also on the understand- 

 ing that Mrs. Kenyon's shell is the form described by him, it 

 seems to us most likely that the Australian and Sandwich Island 

 form is this variety in normal state. In small individuals in our 

 possession we note all the distinctive characters given in Philippi's 

 description ; the pale brown base, oblong shape, and brown staining 

 between the teeth. In short, these three shells (C. caput-anguis, 

 C. caput-draconis, C. caput-serpentis) are best known by their bases. 

 We have examined large series from various collections, notably those 

 of Messrs. Williams, Cairns, Rogers, Darbishire, as well as of the 

 British and Manchester Museums, and our own. 



At all events, C. caput-anguis Phil, seems very different from C. caput- 

 draconis Melv., this latter shell being far more convex than any of 

 its allies : straight both laterally, anteriorly, and posteriorly ; sides 

 not in the least degree laterally thickened, though sharply 

 angled at the line of junction with the base at both sides ; 

 the interstices between the teeth dark ; aperture, and flattened 

 blackish base, precisely (as more than once mentioned) as in C. 

 mauritiana L. in miniature ; indeed, save in size, it has almost 

 as near an affinity to this species as to any form of C. caput- 

 serpentis L. The oiiginal type, collected by Captain Hungerford near 

 Hong Kong, was, at the time of description, unique : but quite 

 recently we have seen eight more examples, two of these are in our own 

 possession, and two others, both juvenile, in that of Mr. J. M. Williams, 

 of Liverpool ; four are in the British Museum, South Kensington, 

 from Easter Island, South Pacific, collected by Mr. S. V. Frank. All 

 these eight examples have clearer dorsal markings than in the type, 

 but as regards the straightness laterally, the dull leaden purple spaces 

 at the interstices, and, above all, the flattened mauritiana-like base, 

 aperture, and dentition, they are all precisely similar. We feel satis- 

 fied these are specific differences, though most probably all the mem- 

 bers of this group spring from a common ancestor. Since writing the 

 above, we hear from Mr. F. L. Button, of Oakland, California, that he 

 lately had an opportunity of obtaining several examples of Cyprcea 

 caput-draconis in the market at San Francisco. 



As to C. caput-serpentis L., the chief varieties are so well distin- 

 guished by Mrs. Kenyon, that we would refer all students of the 

 Cyprseidae to her paper. The typical form hardly varies. We have 

 one small, but full-grown example, and another the lateral expansion 

 of which is unusually pronounced ; a third with the dorsal spotting 

 whiter than is common ; and a fourth (the specimen figured in the 



