spiral ribs, set closely together, and longitudinal varices, 
which on the body whorl are formed by the spiral ribs be- 
ing produced as hollow and recurved spines. There are 
eleven to thirteen of these varices, so that one must not 
expect to find eight angles or sides to the shell, but quite 
ten or twelve. However, as an octagon is the usual form 
for decorative purposes in the popular mind, the name is 
near enough to be taken as appropriate. The spines are 
more pronounced as they approach the outer lip. The 
longest spines are those on the shoulder or keel of the 
whorl. The shell is of a brownish colour; the mouth is 
rounded above, more pointed below, terminating in a deep 
canal, narrowly open and curved to the left. The outer 
lip is crinkly and sharp, the inner lip a thin plate of callus 
on the columella, extending beyond it as a thin free edge. 
The interior is white, bluish white, purplish or brownish. 
About one and a-half to two and a-quarter inches in height. 
Bay of Islands; Mount Maunganui; St. Helier’s Bay; 
Cook Strait. 
MUREX OCTOGONUS var. UMBILICATUS (murezx, 
a pointed rock; umbilicated) —This sub-species differs only 
from the species in having a wide umbilicus, causing the 
basal spines to be spread further apart. It is also larger 
in size. Found at Mount Maunganui. 
MUREX RAMOSUS (murex, a pointed rock; ramosus, 
ramified, full of branches)—This is a large and showy 
univalve, white tinged with light brown on the varices and 
spines, with the mouth of a tender soft pink, and extremely 
smooth, gradually shading off to a pure white. It is sculp- 
tured with numerous fine spiral ribs, but the hollowed and 
frilled spines form the main scheme of decoration. This 
mollusc, which has a wide distribution, is met with on the 
east coast of Africa, in the Pacific Archipelago, and in 
great abundance in the Red Sea. It was formerly used in 
the making of the ancient Tyrian purple, the dye being 
obtained from a vein in the neck of the animal. As the 
quantity was, of course, only limited one readily under- 
stands that the “wearing of purple and fine linen” was the 
exclusive privilege of the aristocracy of those days. The 
saying “born in the purple’ also owes its origin to this 
interesting gasteropod. 
One looks in vain for any reference to this large uni- 
valve in the official Handbook of the New Zealand Mol- 
lusca, although two specimens have been found in the Wai- 
kareao Estuary, westward of the town of Tauranga. The 
larger of the two, eight inches and a-half in length, and 
67 
Plate 1V 
No. 14 
Plate III 
No. 17 
Sea Shells 
of New Zealand 
