Report on the zoological collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean ...

MOLLFSCA, 45This shell is remarkably prickly when in perfect condition, byreason of the scaly character of tlie transverse ridges. The singleand rather young shell from Thursday Island has the spire of a delicatepink colour. A second example, from Prince of Wales Channel,belongs to the black-brown variety figured by Reeve (pi. x. fig. 37).IG.Murex cervicornis.Lamarck ; Kiener's Coq. Viv. pi. 20, fig. 2 ; Soiverhy, Oenera Rec. Foss.Shells, fig. 4; id. Then. Conch, pi. 382. fig. 30; lieeve, Conch.Icon. fig. 06; Kobelt, Conch.- Cab. pi. 31. figs. 5, 6.Hab. Thursday Island, 4 fms. ; Prince of Wales Channel ; TorresStraits, 7-9 fms.; Port Darwin, 8-12 fms.; and Clairmout Island,11 fms. (Goppinger) ;Darnley Island, Torres Straits, 20-30 fms.(Brazier).One specimen obtained by Dr. Coppinger is peculiar on account ofthe unusual shortness of the canal, and the presence of one, insteadof two, spines upon it. Another example is remarkable for itsuniform rich brown tint, the ordinary colour of this interestingspecies being considerably paler.17. Murex territus.Reeve, Conch. Icon. figs. 167 a, b ; Sowei-bi/, Thes. Con. pi. 9. tig. 77(fronds on varices incorrect).M urex nubilus (= territus, fun.), Sowerhj, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 428,pi. 49. fig. 4 ;Thes. Conch, fig. 71.Hah. Wide Bay and Port Curtis {Mus. Cuming) ; Port MoUe,15 fms., and Port Curtis, 0-11 fms. {Ooppinger).Although the figures respectively representing the types of M.territus and M. nubilus would not lead one to consider them thesame species, still on actual comparison such proves beyond a doubtto be the case.The shell described by Eceve is a tine specimen (alas ! like verymany of Mr. Cuming's shells, terribly spoiled by acid in cleaning),with the frondose varices weU developed. The three brown baudsso conspicuous in the young shell {M. nubilus) are only visibleon the varices in the adult. The canal is a little arcuate, nearlyclosed, and somewhat recurved, and bears three principal spines, asmentioned by Sowerby in his description of M. nubilus. Only twoare seen in the figures of M. territus, a result due to a fi'acture ofthe third in the shell figured ; but the presence of it is seen on thepenultimate varix in the same illustration. Although, ds a rule,there is but a single tubercle between the varices, yet in some specimensa second smaller one is developed. The two nuclear whorlsare smooth, convex, and reddish.