"41 STROPHIA ELONGATA Novo.

Long Strophia.

FIG. 46, A, front view, E, side view of type.

DESCRIPTION.

SP. CH. Size, rather large. Shell, thick and heavy.  Striations, present. Whirls, eleven. Examined twenty-five specimens.

Form of shell, a long cylinder, with the first three whirls about equal in diameter, the fourth is but little smaller, then the shell slopes to an acute point, forming an angle of sixty-nine degrees. The striations are numerous, thirty-three to the first whirl. are not prominent, are narrow, and although numerous, no wider than the interspaces between them; they are inclined to be angular rather than rounded, are regular, but not arranged in lines, and are very slightly inclined from right to left.

Aperture, quite small, somewhat elongated. but rather open. Lower tooth very large, prominent and double, having an elevation to the left, and also a small tubercle to the right. This tooth is about .11 high, and about as wide and long as high.  The upper tooth is small and about on a level with the top of the lower tooth.

Margin, produced forward nearly as far as the diameter of the shell, is rather central in position in the shell, and is slightly inclined to the right, but not beyond the diameter of the shell. It is thickened, about .05, and is beveled. The frontal bar is well developed, and is considerably thickened, completely interrupting the striations.

Color of shell, as far as can be made out from dead specimens, was white, externally, brownish within.

DIMENSIONS.

Size of type, 1.33 by .50. Largest specimen, 1.45 by .52: smallest, 1.27 by .45. Greatest diameter, .55; smallest, .45. Longest specimen, 1.45, shortest, 1.27.

OBSERVATIONS.

Individual variation is toward a form that is more elongated, but still with eleven whirls. otherwise there is but little variation from the type. The large double central tooth of this species shows the relationship of this shell with S. eburnia, and, as it inhabits a key only about a mile distant, is beyond doubt the ancestor of that species.

HABITS AND DISTRIBUTION.

The Long Strophia occurred on a little key that lies about a mile north of U Key, at Allen's Harbor. I say occurred, for as far as we could ascertain by the most careful search, no living specimen is now to be found on the key, nor were there any shells seen that appeared to have been very recently alive, but some show great age.

In an article, earlier in this volume, I have spoken of this key as having been the resort of the Lucayan Indians, and the conch shells of which I have spoken as having been opened by them. do not appear to be older than many of the specimens of Strophia elongata which lie scattered near them, hence we may conclude that this                 Strophia was living on tbe key when it was inhabited by the Indians  Possibly then the key was partly cleared of shrubbery, and after the departure of the Indians the thick growth, which now covers it, sprung up causing changes, which were unfavorable to the Strophias, so they gradually died.

The remains were scattered quite regularly over the entire surface of the key, but, judging from specimens examined, they remained alive longest in the southern portion of the islet near the site of the Indian well, of which I have spoken."  (Maynard, 1894:148-150).