TEREBELLUM. 



Plate I. 



Genus TEREBELLUM, Lamarck. 



Testa cylindraceo-subidata, angusle leviter convolnta, spird 

 promhiente, sitbohtusd, suturd lineari-iiicisd, snperne 

 encamticd, aperlurd loiigiiudinali, siipene tetiui cana- 

 liculatd, ad basin abrupte decurtaid el truncatd, colu- 

 vielld subrectd, encamticd, in mucronem desinente. 



Shell cvlindrically subulate, narrowly lightly convoluted, 

 spire prominent, rather obtuse, suture linearly cut, 

 enamelled along the upper margin, aperture longitu- 

 dinal, thinly channelled at the upper part, abnjptly 

 cut short and truncated at the base, columella nearly 

 straight, enamelled, ending in a point. 



In 1846, when publishing the third Number of my 

 ' Elements of Conchology,' T took occasion to notice that 

 although the Terebellam shell had been known ibr a century 

 and more, and is not unfreqiicntly collected on the shores 

 of the Eastern Seas, no specimen had yet been found with 

 its molluscous inhabitant. Mr. Cuming, however, remem- 

 bered seeing living specimens, seven years before, at the 

 Philippine Islands, having remarked its activity of habit 

 in leaping from his hand. In 18-15 the animal of Tere- 

 bdlum was well oliserved by Mr. Arthur Adams during 

 the voyage of the ' Samarang ' in the China Sea and 

 among the islands of the Sooloo Archipelago, and an ex- 

 cellent drawing and description of it was published in 

 1850 in the Zoology of that expedition. Agreeably with 

 (he conjectures of Sowerby and De Blainville, the soft 

 jiarts of Terebellmn were found to resemble those of Strom- 

 bus, and, as in Oliva, which De Blainville placed after it 

 in the series, the mantle is provided with a long filament- 

 ary cord winding into the sutures of the shell. 



" The Terebellum," says Mr. Adams, " is extremely shy 

 in its movements. Poising its shell in a vertical position, 



and cautiously protruding its long telescope-eye from the 

 truncature in front of the shell, it will remain stationary 

 until assured of security. It will then use its pointed 

 foot as a lever, and roll its shell over and over, progressing 

 by a series of irregular leaps. When removed from the 

 water, before dying, it will jump several inches from the 

 ground." 



Species 1. (Fig. a Xo g, Mus. Cuming.) 



Terebelu'm punctatu'm. Ter. testa cylindraceo-subu- 

 latd, lavigatd, nitente, spird conspicud, suturd lineari- 

 incisd, encausticd,falvescenle-albd, spadiceo-fusco varie 

 lentiginosd vel vndatd, interdmii caslaneo-pnnctald vel 

 acute vndatd. 



The dotted Terebellum. Shell cylindricaUy subulate, 

 smooth, shining, spire consjjicuous, suture linearly 

 cut, enamelled, fulvous-white, variously freckled or 

 waved with fawn-brown, sometimes dotted or shai'ply 

 waved with chestnut. 



Bulla terebellum, Linnsus, Syst. Nat. p. 1185. 

 Cunus terebellum, Linuffius. 



Terebellmn punctatum, pulluvi, and album, Klein. 

 Strombus terebellum, Rumphius. 

 Terebra ulata, Argenville. 

 Terebellum punctatum, Chemnitz. 

 Terebellum subulalum, Lamarck. 



Hah. China Sea, and Indian and Philippine Archipelagoes. 



All the specimens of Terebellmn hitherto collected ap- 

 pear to be referable to one species. It will be seen by the 

 varieties assembled in the accompanying plate, that the 

 colouring is fawn or chestnut-brown upon a fulvous 

 ground, disposed in freckles, dots, or zigzag lines. 



June, 1863. 



