386 Mr. Cosmo Melvill on the 



and amongst algae at low water mark ; some of them are 

 predaceous, living on smaller molluscs. Not many, indeed,, 

 are found at any depth. The few specimens brought home 

 by the " Challenger " expedition, were obtained at the 

 following soundings : — 



Latirus armatus (Ad.), 75 fathoms, off Tenerife. 



„ contemptus (A. Ad.), 1 5 to 25 fathoms, Amboyna. 

 „ Strangez {A. Ad.), 12 fathoms, Levuka, Fiji, 

 and of these three, Z. contemptus (A. Ad.), is probably one of 

 the Muricidce^ and ought to be expunged from this series. 



The extreme brightness and gay colouring of some of the 

 smaller species are noteworthy, and they no doubt live more 

 freely, and in greater variety and beauty in shallow coral 

 lagoons, where the water is more or less still. Many of the 

 larger Latiri are unsightly objects, being, as a rule, covered 

 with nullipores and various growths — in fact, several of the 

 species have to be cleaned to reveal their real beauties. 



As is often the case with gaudily-painted shells, they are 

 taken possession of by certain Paguri and other Hermit 

 crabs, and several specimens I have of P. castanoleuca 

 (Tapp.-Canefri.) and other PeristernidcBy though in very 

 good condition, have their labial columella quite worn away 

 from this cause. 



(XI.) Criticisms on Mr. Tryon^s Monograph. — The latest 

 monograph of these genera is that of the late Mr. G. W. 

 Tryon, junr., {Man. Conch., Vol. III., pp. 79 — 97, 1 881), in 

 which he treats of three genera Latirus, Peristernia, and 

 Leucozonia. He has, unfortunately, fallen into many errors, 

 which have mainly arisen through his attempting to do too 

 much, and in too great haste, and not seeking collaboration 

 more frequently. This latter course he adopted only in 

 Cyprcea and Solarium, and with very beneficial results in 

 both cases. So far as he was able to consult the impor- 

 tant collections under his charge at the Museum of the 



