120 SHELLS AND SHELL-FISH. PART I. 



minata we are disposed to place a most singular volute, 

 described with Mr. Broderip's usual accuracy, which 

 partakes both of one and the other. It has, in fact, 

 almost precisely the same elongated shape as a young 

 specimen of fulminata, before the outer lip has been 

 formed; while the number of its plaits are only two, thus 

 agreeing with bidlata. Divest the fulminata* of its outer 

 lip, and it would have the same " fig-like" appearance 

 as Mr. Broderip's R. duhia.\ That the plaits on the 

 pillar of some of these shells increase with age, is proved 

 by a young Ho vexillum, now before us, which has only 

 four, instead of eight. 



(108.) In this manner, as it appears, the genus 

 Harpula forms a circular group, which, by commencing 

 with H. fulminata, passes onward to Lapponica and vex- 

 illum, and from thence to hebrtea : polyzonata conducts 

 us to costata ; and lyriformis to nucleus and hullata ; 

 while dubia brings us again to fulminata. We may 

 now compare the contents of this circle with the last. 



Analogies of the Genus Harpula. 



Sub-generic Genera Sub-generic 



Types of Analogies. of the Types of 



Harpula. Volutins. Voldta. 



H.fulminata. Lower plaits ofthe pillar small. Scaphella. Magtiifica. 

 vexillum. Shells smooth. Voluta. Neptuni. 



f Shells niuricated or nodulous; ^ 

 heb7-cea. ^ apex obtuse, but not much vCymbiola. Imperialis. 



L enlarged. 3 



„. , CPlaits numerous, the lowers ii.o„.,. . Q^^^h^ 



costata. ■{ 1 1 -1,1 t Harpula. bcapna. 



I largest ; apex variable. i ^ 



bnllata. Plaits on the pillar very few. Volutilithes. Angvlata. 



* I have recently come to a knowledge of the habitat of this shell, which 

 is Java. 



f As Mr. Broderip's observations on this shell will be much more valu- 

 able than my own, the reader will be better pleased by perusing that acute 

 naturalist's own words. " This shell is one of those forms which convince 

 us ofthe vanity of our artificial distinctions. When viewed from above, it 

 seems as if the spire of a Voluta were placed on the body-whorl of one of 

 those Pyrnlce which are commonly known by the name of Figs. Turn it, 

 and the difficulty of classing the shell is rather increased ; for the aperture 

 is still fig-like, and it requires an accurate examination to detect the two 

 almost imperceptible plaits on the columella. Tiie apex, indeed, uncouth 

 as it is, shows more like that of a J'oluta than of any other sliell, and it is 

 utterly different from that of a Pyrula. Place it among the volutes, and 

 it will be found to approach nearest to V. rupestris; though one cannot but 

 suspect that there are yet, in the bosom of the deep, many gradations of 

 form between them. There is, I believe, one specimen in the cabinet of 

 prince Massina." — Brod., in Zool. Journ. iii. p. 81. pi. 3. lig 1. 



