373 



MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS 



MARGINELLA. 



By G. B. Sowerby, Jun. P.L.S. 



Char. Gen. Testa subovata, nitida; spira brevi, obtusa, nonnun- 

 quara occulta. Apertura elongata, antice plerumque emarginata ; 

 columella nonnunquam callosa, plicata; labio externo reflexo, 

 plerumque incrassato ; operculum nullum. 



Shell oval, smooth. Spire short, obtuse, sometimes hidden by 

 the deposition of enamel, or included in the last whorl. Aperture 

 long, generally emarginated at the anterior extremity ; columellar 

 lip sometimes thickened at both extremities, with folds increasing 

 in obliquity and length towards the anterior termination, but not 

 so much so as in Voluta ; outer lip reflected and generally thickened 

 so as to form a varix ; no operculum ; no epidermis. 



The shell being almost enveloped by the mantle, has a brilliancy 

 of polish equal to the Cowries. This, and the reflected edge of the 

 outer hp, sufficiently distinguish all the species from the genus 

 Voluta. 



1. Marginella Paba (pi. lxxiv. f. 1, 2.), Linn. Syst. Nat. M. 

 bifasciata var., Lam. Aniin. s. vert. vii. p. 357. 



M. ovata, griseo-fulva, punctorum magnorum seriebus irregula- 

 ribus 7 ad 9 sparsim cincta ; spira, prominula ; anfractibus vix 

 angulatis, ad angulum crenulatis ; columella, quatlriplicata, labio 

 externo crasso, paululum arcuato, plerumque minute subcrenulato, 

 postice subemarginato, antice attenuato, emarginato. 



Oval, greyish buff, with 7 to 9 rows of distant large spots ; spire 

 rather prominent ; whorls very slightly angulated, crenulated ; 

 columella with four folds ; outer hp slightly bowed, very lightly and 

 minutely crenulated, emarginated at the base. 



There is no doubt of this being the true Voluta Faha of Linnaeus; 

 from Senegal. 



2 H 



