Zoological Illustrations/VolI-Pl35
MITRA bifasciata.
Double-banded Mitre.
Generic Character.—See Pl. 23.
Specific Character.
- M. (Div. 1.) testâ lævi, castaneo-fusca concolore, anfractu basali fasciis duabus angustis flavescentibus, spirâ unifasciatâ aperturâ lævi.
- Shell smooth, uniform chesnut-brown, with two narrow yellowish bands on the basal whorl, and one on the spire; aperture smooth.
| Voluta caffra. | Martini iv. tab. 148. fig. 1369. Knorr. vol. v. tab. 19. fig. 4, 5. |
This most elegant shell has been figured from one of the specimens that belonged to the late Mr. Jennings, who was well known to spare neither expense nor assiduity in procuring the most select and matchless specimens of every species; so much so, indeed, that such as are known to have been in his possession generally bear a higher price. One of these is now in my father's cabinet, the other in that of Mrs. Bolton, of Storr's-hall, Windermere. I have seen both, and they appear equally fine.
I cannot help considering this as a distinct species from Mitra caffra (Voluta caffra Linn.), with which it has hitherto been placed only as a variety: it is much larger, the volutions more convex, but compressed on the suture, and the whole shell (except near the point) perfectly smooth: the beak or channel likewise, which in M. caffra is short and nearly straight, is in this lengthened and recurved. The mouth is very narrow (occasioned by the outer lip being thick and slightly inflexed) and smooth within, the terminal volutions slightly plaited, and the base of the shell grooved.
The figures of Knorr and Martini are very bad, and give no correct idea of the shell, except its colour.