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Show 284 MR. E. A. SMITH ON THE [Apr. 1, no such species as L. helence occurs, nor is it enumerated by Jeffreys in the list in the ' Annals and Magazine of Natural History.' All he says concerning it is that it is "a small periwinkle, found abundantly alive and sticking to the rocks all round the sea coast at and above high-water mark." I am inclined to believe that the shells which I have associated with L. miliaris are the more common species; but as that was the only species of this genus received from Mr. Melliss, I have concluded that his L. helena^ must be the little conical form described above. It is remarkable for its elevated, straight-sided, conical spire, small aperture, and angular body-whorl. The pale zone on the base is situated about the middle, so that a small central portion is left of a rich brown colour. The tubercles on the spire are not closely packed, but are often separated by spaces wider than themselves. MODULUS MODULUS, var. Hab. West Indies generally : Florida for var. fioridana. The St. Helena specimens most closely approach that form of this species which has been named M. fioridanus by Conrad. None of them, however, are nearly so large as his figure (Amer. Journ. Conch. vol. v. pi. xii. fig. 6). The radiating ribs are less numerous and not so regular; the spotting on the basal ribs, which are finer, is less distinct, and the concentric furrow near the middle of the base, which is more conspicuous than the rest, is rather more noticeable. The considerable variation among the specimens from St. Helena has induced me to regard them as variations of this American species rather than as a distinct species. Had they, on the contrary, been constant in their characters, I believe enough differences might be indicated to entitle them to specific rank. PLANAXIS LINEATUS (Da Costa). Hab. West Indies, St. Vincent's, Jamaica, St. Thomas, St. John's, St. Martin. All the specimens from St. Helena are dead shells, and faded, but seem to belong to this species. It was also obtained at Ascension Island by Dr. Conry. A very similar species, PL hermannseni, Dunker, occurs on the West-African coast at Benguela. PLANAXIS EBOREUS, Smith. Hab. St. Thomas and St. Vincent. The two specimens from St. Helena agree in all respects with West-Indian examples. Tbe colouring of the figure of this species (Conch. Icon. vol. xx. pi. v. fig. 33) is simply absurd. In the copy of the work before me the entire shell is of a lemon-yellow tint, varied with a few spiral red lines. All this is imaginary, as the colour is pure white, with the exception of the brownish apex and the dots on the edge of the labrum. |
