proposed new Genus Cypraecassis. 369 



28 



ing a row of strong teeth, before it proceeds to continue the 

 volution, by which means the various periods of growth are 

 as distinctly marked within the outer lip, in this species, as 

 they are externally in many others. In this point, Mr. Stutch- 

 bury's Cyprcecassides differ very materially from the cowries ; 

 for no one ever yet met with a cowry which had once formed 

 the inflected margin of the outer lip, and which afterwards 

 continued to increase either the number or size of its volu- 

 tions, except by additions of testaceous matter to the external 

 surface. 



Of the epidermis, or epidermal coverings as Mr. Stutchbury 

 calls it, I have as yet said nothing, mainly because I have but 

 little to say, never having, within my recollection, seen any 

 specimens of the various species of Mr. Stutchbury's Cyprce- 

 cdssis in their natural state. Most of the shells that come to 

 the London market are depourvues de leurs epidermes before 

 they reach the British shores : some of the remaining few are 

 neatly shorn of it by the dealers, in order that they may pre- 

 pare them to receive an unnatural beauty and polish ;.and we 

 are moreover informed by a certain conckological author, 

 whose lucubrations are to be found in the Zoological Journal, 

 that the epidermis is naturally a very loose habit. 



I have thought it necessary to illustrate this paper with the 

 following representations, viz : — Fig. 28. a, Cassis rufa in a 

 young state, showing the row of teeth within the outer lip ; 

 b, Cassis Testiculus, showing the formation of four varices 

 at various periods of growth ; and c, operculum of Cassis 

 coarctdta. 



In the fourth paragraph of Mr. Stutchbury's paper, he tells 

 us what he considers to be the principal distinction between 

 his Cypr&ca$si$ and Cyproe v a. I think I have already shown 

 Vol. T. — No. 7. n. s. ge 



