8 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE SULPHUR. 



Family — Muricace^e. 

 Murex. Linnceus. 



8. Mueex Belcheri. Hinds, Proceed. Zool. Soc. 1843, p. 127, (Plate II. fig. 1, 2, 3.) Testa 

 magna, fusiformi, crassa, ponderosa, pallide fusca, multivaricosa ; anfractibus quadratis, albo fascia- 

 tis; varicibus numerosis, foliaciis, simplicibus, superne elongatis, fornicatis, aetate valde erosis ; aper- 

 tura quadrata, pallide carnea ; labro intus laevi, inferne dente magno, crasso, obtuso ; canali tortuoso, 

 aperto, ad sinistram inclinato ; umbilico praecipue magno. 



Iubab. San Diego, California. From a bank of mud near the head of the 

 harbour. 



9. Murex centrifuga, Hinds, 1. c. p. 126, (Plate III. fig. 7, 8.) Testa gracillime fusiformi, 

 pallide cornea, passim creberrime striata ; varicibus tribus, subalatis, in spinis compressis laciniatis ; 

 spina ad angulum anfractuum elongata, suberecta ; interstitiis nodo unico ; apertura elongata, ovali : 

 labro intus laevi ; canali mediocri, rectiusculo, clauso, ad basin subrecurvo. 



Inhab. West coast of Veragua. On a sandy floor, in fifty-two fathoms. 

 This species has the general character of M. pinniger and M. capensis, and is 

 very closely allied to the latter. 



10. Murex californicus, Hinds, 1. c. p. 128, (Plate III. fig. 9, 10.) TestS. fusiformi, fulva, 

 trivaricosa ; anfractibus senis, superne planulatis, transversim costatis, costis rotundatis, subdistan- 

 tibus, ad lacinias varicum incurrentibus, intervallis costellatis, creniferis ; varicibus sex-laciniatis, 

 suprema maxima alata, deinde gradatim minoribus, creniferis ; apertura ovali, laevi ; canali clauso, 

 recurvo, ad basin purpurascente. 



Inhab. California. 



The individual figured is in the collection of Mr. Cuming. 



11. Murex hamatus, Hinds,l. c. p. 128, (Plate III. fig. 11, 12.) Testa rhomboidea, pallide 

 lutea, multivaricosa; anfractibus septenis, inter varices areis quadratis; spira. subelongata, acuta; 

 varicibis senis alatis, laciniis uncinatis ; apertura ovali, inferne dente parvo acuto; canali clauso, rec- 

 tiusculo. 



Inhab. Bay of Guayaquil. From a muddy floor, in twenty-one fathoms. 



This shell, together with 31. emarginatus, M. monoceros, and M. Nuttali, 

 belong to a section of the genus which has been called by Conrad Cerastoma. 

 But if the marginal tooth of the aperture is to be regarded as sufficient grounds 

 for separation, then I fear we must draw freely on some of the typical species, 

 where its existence seems to have been little heeded. Mr. Swainson assigns it as 

 a character of his subgenus Muricanlhus or Centronotus; but for the above 

 reasons it ceases to possess any importance. In M. hamatus the situation of the 

 tooth on the dorsal varices is marked by a small sharp notch. 



