. The atoll of Funafuti, Ellice group: its zoology, botany, ethnology, and general structure based on collections made by Mrs. Charles Hedley, of the Australian museum, Sydney, N. S. W. THE MOLLUSCA HEDLEY. 459. Fig. 36. MUREX RADULA, Sp. nOV. (Fig. 36). Shell small, fusiform. Colour cream, spines orange, columella pale lilac. Whorls seven. Sculpture—eight feeble varices alternating on each whorl. On the third and fourth whorls they are proportionately much stronger and are angled at the periphery. The body whorl has eleven spiral cords, narrower than their interstices ; both are over- ridden
. The atoll of Funafuti, Ellice group: its zoology, botany, ethnology, and general structure based on collections made by Mrs. Charles Hedley, of the Australian museum, Sydney, N. S. W. THE MOLLUSCA HEDLEY. 459. Fig. 36. MUREX RADULA, Sp. nOV. (Fig. 36). Shell small, fusiform. Colour cream, spines orange, columella pale lilac. Whorls seven. Sculpture—eight feeble varices alternating on each whorl. On the third and fourth whorls they are proportionately much stronger and are angled at the periphery. The body whorl has eleven spiral cords, narrower than their interstices ; both are over- ridden by fine lamellae in the line of growth. At frequent intervals these cords produce small, short, tubular, orange spines, which lend a conspicuous and recognizable aspect to the shell. Apex of three whorls conical, smooth, and glossy. Aperture simple, lip sharp, canal broad and open. Length 9, breadth 4 mm. A single specimen, taken at a depth of forty to eighty fathoms with the preceding. This specimen is perhaps immature, but differs so much from any with which I am acquainted as to be considered worthy of description. Purpura hippocastaneum, Lamarck. Tryon, loc. cit, p. 162, pi. xlv., figs. 36-43 ; pi. xlvi., fig. 45. Abundant on the outer reef of Funafuti. Tryon quotes this from the Paumotus, and Melvill and Standen from the Loyalty. In this Museum are instances from Queensland, Fiji, and the Solomons. Both Cooke* and Smithf condemn the treatment of the species in the reference quoted above, but, unfortunately for puzzled students, both think it " needless to discuss the matter at ; The species seems to me to stand nearer Sistrum than Purpura. The natives called this " ; Purpura armigera, Chemnitz. Tryon, loc. cit., p. 163, pi. xlvi., figs, 50, 51. Abundant on the outer reef of Funafuti, where its massive shell enables it to withstand the heaviest surf. In aged speci- mens the projecting points are worn down to the stump. * Cooke—Journ.
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