Maryland Geological Survey 435 



quently nodose. Whorls closely appressed at the sutures. Anterior canal 

 straight, or very loosely sigmoidal. Outer lip strongly arcuate, not rein- 

 forced nor lirate within ; inner lip much thickened and reflected ; three 

 robust, horizontal plaits borne near the base of the body. Umbilical chink 

 occasionally visible between the canal wall and the reflected labium. 



Xancus is separated from the Volutce and Mitrce on the one hand and 

 from the Fasciolarice on the other by the development of the three uni- 

 formly strong, approximately horizontal folds on the medial or slightly 

 posterior portion of the columellar wall. 



The affinities of the East Coast Cretaceous Xanci, so called, are rather 

 dubious. If they are true Xanci they are the only representatives of the 

 genus reported from pre-Cenozoic strata. The genus occurs, however, 

 throughout the Tertiary, though never abundantly. The recent forms are 

 confined to the Indian Ocean and the Brazilian Coast. The Indian 

 species, notably the type, are used in many of the Brahminic religious 

 ceremonies. 



A. Altitude of adult shell exceeding 30 mm Xancus alabamensis 



B. Altitude of adult shell not exceeding 30 mm Xancus intermedia 



Xancus alabamensis (Gabb) 



Cancellaria alabamensis Gabb, 1860, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 2d ser., 



vol. iv, p. 301, pi. xlviii, fig. 26. 

 Turbinopsis alabamensis Gabb, 1862, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila. for 1861, 



p. 321. 

 Turbinopsis ? alabamensis Meek, 1864, Check List Inv. Fossils, N. A., Cret. 



and Jur., p. 19. 

 Turbinella ? verticalis Whitfield, 1892, Mon. U. S. Geol. Survey, vol. xviii, 



p. 82, pi. iii, figs. 14, 15. 

 Pyropsis alabamensis Johnson, 1905, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., p. 24. 

 Turbinella alabamensis Weller, 1907, Geol. Survey of New Jersey, Pal., 



vol. iv, p. 768, pi. xci, figs. 1-6. 



Description. — " Shell wide ; spire low ; whorls four ; mouth expanded ; 

 three or four folds on the columella. " — Gabb, 1860. 



Type Locality. — Prairie Bluff, Alabama. 



" Shell turbinate or subglobose, with a moderately elevated spire, which 

 has an apical angle of about 90°, and consists of about three and a half 

 volutions, which increase rather rapidly in size with the increased growth 



