79 
MU REX corneus. 
TAB. XXXV —Three upper figures, 
Spec, Char. Spire elongated, whorls rounded, rather 
smooth, with numerous nearly obsolete strise : 
aperture angular behind. 
Syn. Murex corneus. Linn . Trans . v. 8 , &c« 
This is an elegantly formed rather slender shell, 2-f- inches 
long, and about one-third as wide ; the beak is often slightly 
curved. Some of the transverse strise are more prominent 
than the intermediate ones, but in old shells, and in fossil 
specimens, they are generally worn away. The mouth and 
beak together are equal to half the length of the shell, and 
are smooth within. 
I have various recent specimens of this shell, with and 
without the epidermis, the former are rather rare. Except- 
ing those with the epidermis, the dredged and what are 
commonly called good specimens, are scarcely better than 
the fossil ones. I therefore need now only speak of these of 
which I have figured three varieties. The middle fine one 
is by favour of Mrs. Cobbold from Holywells. No. 2 is from 
Walton; and No. 3 from Aldborough in Suffolk. The 
first has eight whorls, also the pillar lip, which sometimes 
does and sometimes does not exist in the recent shells, (it 
can scarcely be made out in my most perfect recent speci- 
men, but in a bleached one it is so conspicuous as to be almost 
detached at each end,) it therefore affords no distinction* 
The right hand figure has no left lip, it is rather a broader 
shell, and has seven volutions. The left hand figure is 
nearly destitute of striae, and the canal is more reflected than 
usual. It is remarkable that recent specimens of this shell 
are occasionally found on our coast, much distorted in the 
lip, widened and covered with the resemblance of an 
epidermis, the work of a parasite* 
