Zoological Illustrations/VolI-Pl29

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1312689Zoological Illustrations — Vol I. Pl. 29. Mitra spp.William Swainson

MITRA cancellata.

Basket Mitre—upper figure.

Generic Character.—See Pl. 23.


Specific Character.

M. (Div. 2.) testa fusiformi, cancellata; striis longitudinalibus incrassatis, spira aperturaque æqualibus; columella 5-plicata; spira sublævi.
Shell fusiform, cancellated, the longitudinal striæ thickened; spire and aperture of equal length; pillar five-plaited; spire nearly smooth.

Another undescribed species of this elegant family, and of great rarity, in the private collection of Mr. G. Humfreys. The whole of the body whorl and commencement of the spire is cancellated. The longitudinal striæ are crowded, thickened, and slightly elevated, giving a crenated appearance to the suture: the transverse striæ slender, and filling up the interstices. The spire is nearly smooth and a little bent: the ground colour very light orange, with three darker interrupted bands on the body: whorl separated by two slender lines of the same colour; the spiral whorls have only two bands and a line between; the upper margins slightly compressed on the suture; the outer lip within smooth.


MITRA rigida.

Ribbed Mitre—middle figures.


Specific Character.

M. testa costis longitudinalibus, elevatis, linearibus, integris, interstitiis lævibus ad basin granulatis; spira producta; columella 4-plicata; apertura brevi.
Shell with elevated, longitudinal, obtuse, entire ribs, the interstices smooth, the base granulated; spire lengthened; pillar four-plaited; aperture short.

Equally rare, and from the same collection as the preceding. In habit it approaches nearest to M. exasperata of Chemnitz, but has not the ribs angulated or their interstices striated, and is much more narrowed at the base than in that shell, which I have seen: the outer lip is also smooth; the inside strongly striated. This shell was formerly in the collection of Mr. Keate, the elegant author of the "Sketches from Nature."