OF SANTO DOMINGO. 



205 



MELONGENA. Schum. - 



M. melongeiia. Linn, sp. 



Murex melongena, Linn. , ' 



Pyrula tnelongena, Lam. An. S. V. 



Cassidulus melongena, H. and A. Ad. Gen. Rec. Moll. p. 81. ^ . 



Pyrula 2}atula, Bred, and Sby. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vol. IV. p. 377. 



C. patulus, H. and A. Ad., loc. cit. ' - 



Pyrula consors, Sby. Quart. Jour. Vol. VI. p. 49. 



ISTo further proof of the above synonymy is needed than an examination of the 

 series of over a hundred specimens collected in the Santo Domingo Tertiary. The 

 fact that M. patula is from the Pacific, while M. melongena is West Indian, loses all 

 weight when we study the common Miocene ancestors of the two. The two figures, 

 18 and 20, of Reeve in Icon. Conch; do not exhibit the extreme variations traceable 

 among our fossils. The thickening of the body whorl adjoining the suture varies, 

 sometimes amounting to the deformity observable in Clavella, and sometimes being 

 entirely absent. The rows of tubercles on the shoulder as well as those in advance 

 also vary greatly. The normal or most common condition is one row in each series, 

 but two are not rare behind ; three occur occasionally, and in some cases, especially 

 up to middle size, the shell is entirely devoid of any signs of prominences. The 

 anterior row may be entirely wanting, or the tubercles, always large when present, 

 may be close to each other or distant. One or two half-grown specimens occur in 

 the series entirely devoid of tubercles, while a small shell before me, undoubtedly of 

 this species, is squamose adjoining the suture, has two rows of tubercles above, a 

 large row below, and is covered with strong revolving lines. - 



This species is not rare in the European Miocene, where it has received a series 

 of specific names. For a list of half a dozen, see Homes, Foss. Moll. Tert. Wien. in 

 the Abhandlungen der K. K. Geol. Reichsanstalt, p. 274, plates 29 and 30. 



METULA. H. and A. Ad. 



M. c a n c e 1 1 a t a. Gabb, n. s. 



Shell long, regularly curved-fusiform ; spire a very little shorter than the mouth ; whorls eight, body whorl 

 long, slender, sides gently curved ; suture bordei'ed by a thickened rib. Mouth long, narrow, peristome continuous 

 posteriorly ; inner lip covered with a thick smooth callus, outer lip thickened, sub-acute, and faintly rcfiexed on the 

 margin, faintly denticulated internally. Surface marked by small but equal longitudinal and revolving ribs. One 

 or two of the latter nearest the suture are a little larger than the others. 



About the same size as M. clathrata, but has finer sculpture and is more slender. 

 My specimens resemble more nearly the figure of that specie-s in Gen. Recent Moll., 

 than the original in the " Voyage of the Samarang," It also has one more whorl 

 than is attributed to that s])ecies in the description. 



