Zoological Illustrations Volume Iii Part 6

_S. testa ponderosa, nodis longitudinaliter compressis armata; labio exteriore inflexo, margine cra.s.so, supra attenuato et ultra spiram producto; ca.n.a.li truncato._

Sh.e.l.l ponderous, with longitudinally compressed nodules; outer lip inflexed, the margin thick, above attenuated and produced beyond the spire; channel truncated.

_In young stages of growth._

_Seba_, _pl._ 62. _f._ 36, 10. _Martini_ 3. _tab._ 91. _f._ 890. _tab._ 85. _f._ 847.

_Lam. Syst._ 7. _p._ 201.

Var. A. Sh.e.l.l whitish, outer lip much produced. _Upper figure._ _Martini_, _vol._ 3. _tab._ 84. _f._ 844, 845. _Sw. Ex. Conch._ _part_ 4.

Var. B. Sh.e.l.l varied with chesnut, outer lip shorter. _Lower figure._ _Ency. Meth._ _t._ 408. _f._ 1. _t._ 409. _f._ 2.

_Martini_, 3. _tab._ 84. _f._ 843. _Lister_, 871. _f._ 25. 873.

_f._ 29.

Martini was the first conchological writer who separated this species from the _Strombus Gallus_ of Linnaeus; under which name are included three sh.e.l.ls, so remarkably different from each other, that they hardly possess a single character in common.

The original name of Linnaeus I have retained to that species figured by _Seba_, _tab._ 62. _fig._ 1 and 2, and by myself in _Exotic Conchology_, _Part_ 4.

_Strombus tricornis_, although figured, has never yet, I believe, been defined.

Two varieties of this sh.e.l.l are met with; one having the attenuated process of the lip much produced, the margins folded inward, and the tip somewhat spatulate, or spoon-shaped: the colour of this variety is generally white, slightly varigated with brown stripes or irregular spots. A very fine specimen of this variety, having these characters remarkably developed, is in my own cabinet, and is figured in _Exotic Conchology_, part 4. The second variety has the process of the lip shorter, and the margins not folded; the colour usually brownish, richly clouded and variegated with chesnut; the aperture within is tinged with pale red or rosy; but that of the other variety is pure white. I believe this species inhabits the coasts of America; it is a heavy sh.e.l.l, and sometimes measures seven inches in extreme length.

Pl. 136

[Ill.u.s.tration]

AMPULLARIA cra.s.sa,

__Thick Apple Snail_,__Upper and lower figures_.

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 103.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_A. testa globosa, laevi, (sub epidermide) alba, fasciis fuscis ornata; spirae levatae apice obtuso; aperturae margine albo, cra.s.so; umbilico caret._

Sh.e.l.l globose, smooth, beneath the epidermis white with brown bands; spire elevated, tip obtuse; margin of the aperture thick, white; umbilicus none.

_Martini_ 9. _t._ 128. _f._ 1135.

A distinct species, well characterised by the absence of the umbilicus, the situation of which is indicated only by a slight depression: the margin of the aperture all round is thickened, and white; but, from no groove being discernible, I suspect the operculum may be h.o.r.n.y. The only specimen I have, is divested of the epidermis; it is obviously an old sh.e.l.l; and appears to agree with the figure of Martini, also taken from an uncoated specimen.

AMPULLARIA oblonga,

_Oblong Apple Snail_

_A. testa oblonga, laevi, tenui, fusca; spira levata, cra.s.sa, obtusa; aperturae elongatae basi contracta; umbilico vix obsoleto._

Sh.e.l.l oblong, smooth, thin, brown; spire elevated, thick, obtuse; aperture lengthened, base contracted; umbilicus nearly obsolete.

A rare, and undescribed sh.e.l.l, presenting a singular deviation from the general globose form of the _Ampullariae_. The inner lip is wanting on the upper part of the aperture, and on the lower is thin, white, and reflected over the umbilicus, which is nearly obsolete.

Both these sh.e.l.ls were in the late Mrs. Bligh's collection, without any _habitat_ being affixed to them.

Pl. 137

[Ill.u.s.tration]

PAPILIO Polybius.

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 92.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_P. alis nigris; anticis maculo albo centrali; posticis dentato-caudatis maculo rubro centrali nervis diviso; abdomine striga laterali; thorace punctis flavis subtus, ornatis._

P. (_Tr. caud._) wings black; anterior with a central spot of white; posterior dentated and tailed, with a central red spot, divided by the nerves; stripe on each side the abdomen and spots on the thorax beneath, yellow.

An insect neither described nor figured by any author. To my liberal friend, Dr. Langsdorff, I am indebted for the two specimens in my own cabinet, collected by himself in the interior of Minas Geraes, or the Diamond district of Brazil. I am not aware of the insect having been found in any other part of that vast country.

An unusual character is presented in this species, alone sufficient to distinguish it from any other contained in the division to which it belongs. This consists in the thorax beneath being spotted with yellow, and the body, on each side of the under surface, having a narrow yellow stripe; the basal margin of the inferior wings is also yellow. Strictly speaking, these yellow spots would remove it from the section _Trojani_, but it would then be improperly separated from _P. Lysithous_, _Agavus_, and others to which it is, in every respect, closely allied.