Contumax decollatus, sp. nov.
(Fig. 25).

Fig. 25.

Shell narrow, conical, above rounded, below turreted, solid, invariably decollated. Colour, dull white. Whorls of an uncertain number, the specimen figured has seven, and I estimate that five more have been lost. Sculpture—the shell has three stages, which merge into each other, but which apart might seem to belong to different species. None of a fairly large series before me show the apical whorls, the summit being in every instance and in successive stages broken off. The youngest whorl before me is rounded and crossed by several fine raised spiral lines. Later the median line enlarges and originates an angle, and a faint longitudinal sculpture appears. Further on, the whorl is sharply angled by a strong keel, below which are two minor keels, and on the shelf above are five delicate spiral lines, all of which are more or less beaded by transverse sculpture. On the antepenultimate whorl commence longitudinal plications which rapidly develop to their maximum on the last whorl. Here they are six in number, oblique, commencing at the suture, most prominent on the shoulder and vanishing at the basal keel.

The base is hollow, overhung by a thick basal ridge, within which is a second lesser one, the remainder of the base being faintly concentrically striated. Aperture scarcely oblique, squarish, page 438lip simple, sharp, columella arched, canal produced and recurved. Length 18, breadth 8 mm.

Several dead specimens collected on the lagoon beach, of Funafuti.