COLUMBELLA 



Plate I. 



Genus COLUMBELLA, Lamarck. 



Testa parviiiscula, ovato-oblotiya vel trigona, interdum aci- 

 cularis vel fusiformis, plerumqne solida, aut lavigata 

 out costaia. Columella scejie arcuata, interdum den- 

 ticulata, labro plerumqtte incrassato, plus minus vari- 

 coso, intus denticulato. 



Shell rather small, ovately oblong or triangular, sometimes 

 acicular or fusiform, generally solid, either smooth or 

 ribbed. Columella often arched, sometimes denticu- 

 lated, lip generally thickened, more or less varicose, 

 denticulated within. 



The genus Columlidla, as defined by the members of 

 the Lamarckian school of conchology, is not a satisfactory 

 one. Originally it served for the grouping of about a 

 dozen to eighteen species, characterized in a special man- 

 ner, like C. rustica, mercaloria, and stromhiforniis, by the 

 development of a row of teeth on an inner swelling of the 

 lip; but since Lamarck's time upwards of two hundred 

 species of shells have come to light, of not one of which 

 have we any knowledge of the animals, all having a more 

 or less obvious indication of this character, extremely di- 

 verse in form and texture, and not wanting in the charac- 

 teristics which usually go to determine distinct genera. 

 Even Dr. Gray, the Messrs. Adams, and other more subtle 

 followers of the school of De Montford, have failed to 

 bring their analytical powers to bear on the varied forms 

 which come under the head of Columiella ; and the genus 

 must still remain as a receptacle for that incongruous re- 

 siduum of shells which are characterized by the presence 

 of denticles on the inner surface of the lip. 



The geographical range of the Columhellee lies chiefly on 

 the western shores of South and Central America. A few 

 small species inhabit the West Indies, and some very cha- 

 racteristic forms have been collected at Australia and New 

 Zealand : some are also from the Philippine Islands. The 

 genus is unknown to Britain, and only one species, C. rus- 

 tica, may be said truly to belong to the Mediterranean. 



Species 1. (Fig. 1 a, b, Mus. Cuming.) 

 COLUMBELLA ANGDLARIS. Col. testd ohlongo-pyramidali, 

 pallida, fusco varid, spird subulatd, atifractibus decern, 

 longitudinaliter costatis, ultimi medio gibboso-anguluto, 

 basi reflexo; aperturd subqnadratd, canali longiusculo, 

 laio, labro incrassato. 



The ANGULAR COLUMBELLA. Shell oblong- pyramidal, 

 pale, variegated with brown, spire subulate, whorls 

 ten, longitudinally ribbed, middle of the last whorl 

 gibbously angled, reflected at the base; aperture 

 somewhat square, canal rather long, broad, lip thick- 

 ened. 

 SovERBY, Pro. Zool. Soc. 1S32, p. 118. 

 Ilab. Panama. 



A single specimen only of this remarkable species was 

 collected by Mr. Cuming| thirty years since, at the above- 

 named locality. 



Species 2. (Fig. 1 a, b, c, Mus. Cuming.) 



CoLUMBELLA TUERITA. Col. testd eloiigalo-pyramidatd, 

 spird subulatd, anfraclibus decern, albidis, fusco reticu- 

 latis, prope suturam articulatis ; aperturd oblongd, su- 

 perne acuminatd, subcanaliferd, labro incrassato, peri- 

 tremate albo, subrejlexo, intus Itevi, cohimelld arcnatd. 



The turreted Columbella. Shell elongately pyra- 

 midal, spire subulate, whorls ten, whitish, reticulated 

 with brown, articulated near the suture; aperture 

 oblong, acuminated at the upper part, somewhat 

 channelled, lip thickened, peritreme white, a little re- 

 flected, smooth within, columella arched. 



Sowerby, Pro. Zool. Soc. 1S32, p. 115. 



Hab. Bay of Montija and St. Elena, Central America 

 (found in coarse gravel and sand, at a depth of ten 

 fathoms); Cuming. 

 Of the same subulate form as the preceding species, but 



smooth, and rather stout, densely reticulated with brown. 



Species 3. (Fig. a, b, c, Mus. Cuming.) 

 Columbella lanceolata. Col. testd fusifomd-oblongd, 

 turritd, albidd, fuho varid, spird acuminato-pyrami- 

 dali, anfractiius decern ad duodecim, serie unicd tuber- 

 culorum instructis, ultimi dorso subgibbo, parte infe- 

 riore transversim striata ; aperturd elongald, ad l)asin 

 subcanalicidatd et recurvd, labro incrassato, varicoso, 

 intus medio tumido et denticulato. 

 The lanceolate Columbella. Shell fusiformly ob- 

 long, turreted, whitish, variegated with Ijrown, spire 

 acuminately pyramidal, whorls ten to twelve, furnished 

 with a single row of tubercles, back of the last whorl 



May, 18.59. 



