Cypraa retkuluta and Cypraa hislrio distinct. 



Chemn. Concl]. 10, p. Ill), t. US, f. 1846, 1347. 

 Lister, Condi, t. G59, f 3 a. 

 Knorr, Vergn. 2, t. L6,£ 1. 

 Martyn, Conch, t. 15. 

 Hubitat ill mari Indico." 



We may notice in passing, that with his accustomed inconsist- 

 ency, Gmelin had already quoted this same figure of Lister (C59, 

 3 a,) for his C. arabicit, var. j3. 

 On page 3420, we have 



" C. reticulata. C. testa r^icnlatft, margine macnlatia virgatis vario. 



Rumphius, Mns. t. 3't, f. n. 

 Habitat ." 



Here Chemnitz's unfortunate reference to Martyn's figure is 

 repeated, and subsequent authors have been led to view Martyn's 

 and Chemnitz's shells as identical, an inference which Groeliu's 

 brief description might confirm, since it may apply to both shejls, 

 and with the exception of the " sublux <i/b<i," would perhaps suit 

 the reticulata better than the histrio. But as if he had notalready 

 sufficiently perplexed the subject, he gives us, on p. 8420, a 

 C. reticulata of his own, for which lie docs not quote Martyn, 

 but a figure of Rumphius. This he accompanies with a descrip- 

 tion so brief as to be useless. This figure of Rumphius is 

 ambiguous, as we have seen, but has been quoted by authors, and 

 perhaps rightly, for 0. luslrio. What wonder that subsequent 

 writers, trusting too implicitly to the labors of their predecessors, 

 and perhaps destitute of good and characteristic specimen's of lire 

 two species, should conclude that the C. reticulata could have no 

 separate existence ! 



Shortly after the appearance of (ImelinV. work, the publication 

 of the French Encyclopedic MeVilodiqW was commenced, lis 

 progress was, however, much delayed, and the plates to the genus 

 Cypneadid not. appear until the year 1816, while the text i 

 same bears the dale of 1832, sixteen years Inter. On plate 351, 

 we find a very good figure of the true ( '. biJrn,,- bul on referroug 

 to the description of that species it) the text, we find that it is not 

 applicable to the figure, but is evidently founded on u specimen 



