Zoological Illustrations Series II/Plate 58
OLIVA. Pl. 2.
Olivella purpurata. 2. eburnea.
OLIVA purpurata.
Purple-mouthed Olive.
Family Volutidæ.—Genus Oliva. Auct.
Sub-genus, Olivella.
Characters.
Spire of the shell lengthened, conic, the tip acute: inner lip not thickened, outer lip straight: base of the pillar curved inwards, and marked by 2 strong plaits; upper plaits evanescent, or entirely wanting. Aperture effuse, and closed by an operculum? Nobis.
Specific Character.
Shell whiteish, with a very acute spire, nearly as long as the aperture; middle of the body whorl marked by angulated brown lines: suture with spots and fascicles of longitudinal stripes: basal belt very broad: aperture purple.
Oliva biplicata? Sow. Tank. Cat. No. 2332. p. 33.
This shell maybe considered as typical of a small group of Olives, which we suspect are peculiar to the American seas; they offer many points of difference from those of the Indian Ocean. We recollect to have seen another species, in some cabinet, with a small operculum. We have been fearful of pronouncing this to be the O. biplicata, as the judicious Conchologist will perceive the two descriptions do not exactly agree; and we have another to which the characters given of biplicata will equally well apply. The perpendicular line indicates the natural size.
OLIVA eburnea.
Ivory Olive.
Shell entirely white, or marked by two bands of angulated purplish spots; pillar about 8-9 plaited: basal belt and spire always white; the former single.
Oliva eburnea. Lam. Syst. 7. 1. p. 438.
This is the very common little Olive, sent in such abundance in the West India boxes of shells; we figure it, because it is seldom rightly named in collections, being confounded with conoidalis, oryza, and several others of an equally diminutive size: the plaits are sharp, short, well defined, and nearly all of equal size; although the base of the pillar forms an internal elevation.