Zoological Illustrations/VolI-Pl18

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1312672Zoological Illustrations — Vol I. Pl. 18. Mitra spp.William Swainson

MITRA contracta.

Contracted Mitre—upper figure.

Generic Character.Pl. 23.


Specific Character.

M. (Div. 3.) testâ sublævi; margine superiore anfractuum prominente, anfractu basali in medio contracto
Shell nearly smooth; upper margin of the volutions prominent; basal whorl contracted in the middle.

An undescribed species, for the loan of which I am indebted to Mr. G. Humphrey, of Leicester-street, whose knowledge as a collector, and integrity as a dealer, have gained him respect and confidence through a long life: and it is no less singular than true, that many genera of modern authors, now universally adopted, were formed by him near twenty-five years ago (under different names) in the Museum Calonianum, printed in 1797.

Shell one inch and a half long, and smooth; the base and spire with faint remote grooves; the spiral whorls are scarcely convex, and their upper margins prominent. Outer lip thick, effuse, slightly reflected below, and contracted above. Pillar five-plaited; colour yellowish white, with two or three waved longitudinal bands of orange, and a few others broad and remote on the spire. A finer specimen I have since seen with Mr. Humphrey's was one inch three quarters long, the ground-colour pure white, the aperture orange, and the bands rich orange-chesnut.


MITRA australis.

New Holland Mitre.


M. (Div. 2) testâ lævissimâ; spirâ elongatâ; anfractibus basi castaneo-fuscis; fasciâ albâ in basali anfractu, centrali. Columellâ 4-plicatâ.
Shell very smooth. Spire elongated, chesnut-brown; base of the spiral volutions with a whitish band, which is central on the basal whorl. Pillar four-plaited.

Dead shells of this new Mitre were received from Van Dieman's Land by Mr. Humphrey: it is perfectly destitute of striæ, excepting a few faint ones at the base: the mouth, which is smooth inside, appeared in the few specimens he had, to be unformed; it is, however, sufficiently distinct from any other.