CAPULUS. 371 



grows around them, and on small marine organisms ; they 

 are inhabitants of nearly all the countries of the world, 

 and appear to be possessed of but limited locomotion, 

 being generally observed adhering to stones and to other 

 shells, the margins of the aperture becoming modified ac- 

 cording to the surface on which they live, as in the genus 

 Capiilus ; sometimes, however, they wear away the space 

 beneath their foot, forming shallow excavations, as in 

 Amalthea ; or they secrete a shelly base by means of the 

 same organ, as in Cochlolepas. The egg-cases in this 

 family are membranous, and are attached in a tuft at the 

 front of the foot under the neck. 



Genus CAPULUS, Montfort. 



Mantle fringed at the margin; foot strong, orbicular, 

 sides plain. 



Shell conical ; surface striated, usually covered with a 

 horny epidermis; apex inclined posteriorly, recurved, 

 sub-spiral ; aperture dilated. 



Syn. Pileopsis, iawi. Galerita, ^row(/w. Actita, FwcA. 

 Spiracella, Rang (young). Acroculia, Phillips. 



Ex. C. Ungaricus, Linnmis, pi. 41, fig. 1. Shell, 

 C. Ungaricus, fig. 1, a. 



In Capulus the mantle-margin is fringed, and the foot 

 is circular ; the animal is rather sluggish and sedentary, 

 and sometimes secretes an imperfect shelly disk from its 

 foot, showing its affinity to Cochlolepaa. The name Ga- 

 lerita has priority over that of Capulus, but had been 

 previously applied by Fabricius to a genus of Beetles. 



