MURICID^. lOY 



these vases, the process of lajdng occupying several weeks. The 

 vases are generally attached in more or less regular rows, cover- 

 ing sometimes an area of three or four square inches. In shape 

 and size they are like the egg-cases of Purpura, but without the 

 slight reddish tinge of the latter. The}^ are flattened vertically, 

 and their edges are marked by keel-like ridges. Unlike the vases 

 of Purpura, each of which contains several hundred eggs, those 

 of Urosalpinx contain only from six to twentj^, ten or twelve 

 being the usual number. 



SCALASPIRA, Conrad, is certainly closely allied to, if not iden- 

 tical with TJrosalpinx ; if the latter, it has priority : it would 

 scarcely be advisable, however, to reject Stimpson's well-charac- 

 terized genus in favor of one having no diagnosis, and only 

 known by its type. Scalaspira strumosa, Conr. Miocene ; 

 Virginia. 



EuPLEURA, H. and A. Adams. . 



Distr. — 5 sp. Atlantic Coast of United States, West Indies, 

 Panama. E. caudata, Say (xliii, 13). 



Ranelliform, with a pair of lateral varices, one on either side, 

 and intermediate smaller varices ; aperture dentate within. 



The lingual dentition difl'ers entirely from that of Ranella, 

 and resembles Murex : the shell also resembles some of the small 

 Murices, and particularly Urosalpinx. The geographical distri- 

 bution of the group is entirely different from that of Ranella. 



Typhis, Montfort. 



Etym. — Typhos^ smoke. 



Distr. — 15 recent species. Mediterranean, Cape, Ind. Ocean, 

 Tropical America. T. tetrapterus, Bronn (xliii, 14). Fossil, 8 

 sp. Eocene — ; London, Paris. 



Ovate or oblong, with projecting hollow tubes between the 

 three spinose varices ; aperture suborbicular, prolonged in front 

 into a closed siphonal canal. 



The ascending tube which is the distinguishing feature of the 

 shells of this genus is occupied by an extension of the mantle- 

 margin of the animal. 



The operculum is ovate, with apical nucleus, like that of 

 Murex. 



Trophon, Montfort. 



Etym. — Trophonius, a mythological deity. 



Distr. — 40 species. Mostly cold seas ; typically Arctic and 

 Antarctic. T. clathratus, Linn, (xliii, 15). Fossil ; Chili, Cali- 

 fornia, England, etc. 



Varices numerous, lamelliform or laciniated ; spire prominent ; 

 aperture ovate ; canal open, usually turned to the left ; shell 

 white, often dark-colored within the aperture. 



