310 MURICID.E. 



that of the proboscis at its point ; it therefore seems that 

 the hole had been enlarged after it was made. Some 

 specimens of M. erinaceus are very mnch larger than 

 others, even in the same locality ; in the Mediterranean 

 they attain a comparatively gigantic size. 



The " urchin-shell " of Pennant, Buccinum porcatum 

 of Da Costa, and perhaps M. cinguliferus of Lamarck, 

 when half-grown it is the M. Tarentinus of the last- 

 named author. M. decussatus of Gmelin (from Adan- 

 son) is closely allied, if not identical. M. torosus of 

 Lamarck is, according to the Rev. E. T. Lowe, a variety, 

 probably sculpta ; but most conchologists refer to that 

 species a tropical shell with smooth ridges. Leach 

 called the present species cine bra erinacea. What 

 right have naturalists to play such pranks, 



" And nickname God's creatures " 

 in this fashion ? 



2. M. acicula'tus"*, Lamarck. 



M. aciculafus, Lam. An. s. V. vii. p. 176. no. G6. M. corallinus, F. & H. 

 iii. p. 374, pi. cii. f. 5, 6. 



Body bright coral-red or scarlet [vermilion (Philippi)], oc- 

 casionally speckled with yellowish-white or golden - yellow : 

 mantle thick, lining the mouth of the shell : pallial tube rather 

 long : head small : tentacles extensile, of a paler colour than 

 the rest of the body, microscopically ciliated, especially at the 

 tips, which are bluntly pointed : eyes small, placed on stalks 

 which are amalgamated with the tentacles at their outer bases 

 and extend between one-third and more than halfway up : 

 foot rather slender, rounded or truncated and double-edged in 

 front, contracted and narrower in the middle, and bluntly 

 pointed behind ; sole having a clear edge or margin. 



Shell oblong, approaching to spindle-shaped, solid, opaque, 

 lustreless : sculpture, strong, broad, and rounded, but not very 

 prominent longitudinal ribs (8 to 10 on the last whorl, and 



* Bather finely pointed. 



