102 B U C C 1 N U M. 



The numerous divisions of this genus include 

 necessarily a great variety of shells^ yet all agree- 

 ing in the short canal turned more or less towards 

 the right. There are some few species of Buc- 

 cinum which mighty in the formation of a new and 

 more accurate catalogue than we now possess, be 

 transferred to Strombus and Murex, especially from 

 the tapering division, which is far from being well- 

 defined in either of the three genera. The direc- 

 tion of the canal is, however, a character not 

 easily mistaken ; and if we adhere rigidly to this, 

 we shall find that there are not a great many spe- 

 cies which could be better situated than they are 

 at present, in one or other of the natural families 

 united to the genus Buccinum, in consequence of 

 possessing the peculiar construction of rostrum. 



The word Buccinum is derived from /3y>cav>j, a 

 trumpet or horn ; and was applied by Pliny to a cer- 

 tain class of shells with a round emarginate mouth. 

 The genus to which it is now confined is, perhaps^ 

 less generally like a trumpet than many others. 



