CONCHOLOGY. 



ail intervening space of white between each, of an equal breadth with 

 the spots themselves. These spots are, nevertheless, disposed in regular 

 and pretty nearly equidistant single or double bands which traverse 

 the whorls of the shell throughout their whole extent. Generally 

 these spots are scarlet, sometimes, though rarely, the spots appear of 

 a deeper red, or more inclining to sanguineous, an example of which 

 is given in the lower part of the plate, and in a fev/ instances that 

 occasionally fall under observation these spots vary from scarlet to a 

 pale fulvous or yellow. This latter mentioned kind, thougli scarce, 

 appears to be a more common variety than that with darker spots. 

 In some few instances the spots are confluent. We should not omit 

 to notice that there is one other shell of the Voluta tribe which 

 bears a near resemblance to this, and which to the eye of the inex- 

 perienced observer might be considered as the same ; this is Voluta 

 Papalis, Both these shells are about the same size, and assimilate 

 in form as well as general appearance ; but the V. Papalis is striated 

 transversely, while V. Episcopalis is smooth, and the margins of the 

 whorls, which are entire in V. Episcopalis, are denticulated in the 

 V. Papalis : the spots are also less regular in the latter, smaller, 

 more numerous, and of a darker or blood red colour. 



The comparative rarity of these two shells has undergone some 

 transition within the space of the last thirty years. Both species 

 have been known from the time of Rumpfius, Kircher and Bonanni, 

 and generally the species V. Papalis has been esteemed more rare 

 than V. Episcopalis. But during a few years past the latter has 

 become far more uncommon, and V, Papalis has occurred less 

 sparingly. Few cabinets are destitute of both these species, it is 

 nevertheless certain that fine specimens of V. Episcopalis are now 



