C. pupa, aud C. petrosuni, may be recognized in all its forms by the
oblique varix on the hack of the body-whorl, a feature not found in
C. morus and O.piatiens ( = rugosum). The typicai form and the
variety C. variegatum are pnpit'orm, having the spire acutely conical
towards the apex and the last whorl scarcely broader than the
preceding one. The granulations appear to he never in more than
three rows on the upper whorls, but on the penultimate a fourth is
frequently, but not always, observable adjoining the lower suture.
The body-whorl has normally seven principal series of granules ;
but in many instances the minor or intermediate series attain as
large a size as the principal ones, when the number of rows may be
nine to a dozen or even more. The variations in colour are considerable
: normal specimens are whitish varied with black, brown, and
white tubercles.
The var. variegatum is irregularly blotched with light or dark
brown, and some specimens are almost entirely of a uniform dark
brown (Couch. Icon. fig. 41 a). Another has a light brown band immediately
beneath the suture and a second broader one at tho base
of the body-whorl, as in G. pupa (Conch. Icon. fig. 84), which is
remarkable on account of the remoteness of the tubercles on sub-
distant longitudinal costæ. All of these forms of the variety variegatum
have a more or less lilac-tinted aperture ; but in others (vide
Conch, Icon. figs. 41 h, c) it is white, and the style of colouring reverts
more to the typical form of the species. The form which has been
named C. petrosum (Wood, Index Test. Suppl. pi. iv. fig. 9 of Slrom-
6i<s)and its varieties (Sowerhy, Thes. Conch, figs. 171,172 ; Conch.
Icon, figs. 43 a, b) differ very considerably from the normal C. tuberculatum
; but in the specimen depicted by the two last figures we
find tho connecting link.
In the type figured by Wood, now in the British Museum, the
tubercles are much compressed and united laterally so as to form
liræ continuous on and between longitudinal folds ; however, upon
the uppermost volutions the granules become more prominent.
The colouring of this shell is similar to that of the variety C.
pupa, excepting some of the tubercles and liræ being black, indicating
a return to the black nodulation of the typical C. tuberculatum.
2. C. morus, the synonymy of which is given above, has three
rows of granules on the upper whorls, and if a fourth be present
on the penultimate whorl, as is sometimes the case, it invariably
consists of much smaller tubercles than those on the three other
series. The last varix is situated on the side of the body-whorl
exactlj’ opposite the labrum, and never on the back of it, as in C.
tuhercidaium and its varieties. The principal rows of granules on
this whorl are six in number, and may best be counted upon the
labrnm, where the sixth or lowermost terminates at a little distance
from the canal, those actually ending at the canal being secondary
or smaller series and wind round the short basal cauda of the whorl.
The lahrum also becomes more thickened in adult specimens of this
species than in C. tuberculatum. The specimens collected by Dr.
Coppinger at Port Jackson are like fig. 59 in the Conch. Icon. ((7. car-
honarium, Sow. non Phil.), but a little narrower, and those from
West Island in Torres Straits are of a peculiar short stunted
growth.
3. G. patiens, Bayle, = C. rugosum. Wood (non Lamarck), of
which species G. hrcve, Quoy and Caiinard, appears to be a variety,
may be only a form of 0. morus ; still there is a character about
the coarse ribbing and granulation and the blotchy irregularity of
the painting which seems to demand their separation. Besides,
MM. Quoy and Gaimard state th at the animals present certain
differences.
In conclusion, I should observe th at the C. tuberculatum of Sowerby
(Conch. Icon. figs. 21 a, 6) is a peculiarly coloured specimen of this
species {O. patiens); also th at the shell figured as C. bornii (Thes.
fig. 175 ; Conch. Icon. fig. 26) is the true G. carbonarium of Philippi,
fig. 59 of the Conch. Icon, not representing the latter species, but
merely, as already stated, a form of C. morus.
0. tuberculatum, as defined by Lamarck and Kiener, is a common
Red-Sea species, which has been named 0. cæruleum by Sowerby
(Thes. Conch, vol. ii. p. 866, pi. 179. figs. 61, 62).
67. Cerithium nigro-halteatum. (Plate V. fig. N.)
Shell elongate, pyramidal, white, banded with brownish black
above the suture, around the middle and base of the last whorl.
Volutions about twelve, constricted above at the suture, longitudinally
strongly costate and spirally ridged and siilcatod. The costæ
are prominent, about nine in number on the upper whorls, somewhat
interrupted by the depi'ession beneath the suture. The spiral ridges
are rather prominent upon the costæ and unequal in thickness ;
there are about four principal ones and several smaller intervening
ones. On the body-whorl (in the single specimen under examination)
the costæ are ratlier finer and about eleven in number—one, a
little stouter than the rest on the left side, extending to the base
and forming a lateral varix, the ofhers becoming obsolete a little
below the middle, where the whorl is somewhat angnlated and concave
below the angle. The transverse principal liræ number about
six, of which the two lowermost are granulons, white, and situated
between the dark base and the zone above the middle. The lower
part of the whorl is finely concentrically striated and lirate. Aperture
broadly suboval, oblique. Basal canal short, oblique, slightly
recurved. Columella obliquely arcuate, blackish. Lahrum thickened
by the last costa, grooved and lirate within. Length 15 millim.,
diameter 6.
Ilah. Prince of AA+les Channel, 5 -7 fms.
This species is readily recognized the peculiarity of its colours,
the depth of the SLibsutural depression, and the concave base of the
last whorl.
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