Shell fusiform, glossy, semitransparent, thin, light corneous, smooth ; whorls 7—8, regularly increasing, the two apical somewhat rounded, the rest slightly convex, hyaline-marginate below the slightly oblique suture ; last whorl gently convex, contracted anteriorly, and sculptured with about ten oblique striae upon the cauda, also encircled around the middle with a row of small white opaque dots, and a series of indistinct white patches a little below the margination with light brown patches between ; aperture rather long, narrow, less than half the total length of the shell; columella arcuate at the middle, oblique anteriorly ; outer lip thin curved.
Length 7 mm., max. diam. 2,33 mm.; aperture 2,6 mm. long, 1 mm. wide.
HAB.—Port Shepstone, Durban, Scottburgh, Xatal (H. C. Burnup).
Type in British Museum.
This species is about the same size as C. sagitta Gaskoin, but has a less acute spire, more convex whorls, different coloration and a thin labrum. In none of the numerous specimens examined is the outer lip thickened, and consequently the shells have an immature look. C. eximia Reeve has a similar style of coloration, but is a larger shell, with flatter whorls and a more acuminate spire. In that species the series of white dots round the middle of the body-whorl passes up the spire above the suture. This is only occasionally the case in the present species, in which the extreme tip of the spire is often purplish brown, and the brown spots between the upper series of white dots, or rather short lines, are not always conspicuous, or may even be entirely wanting.