GENUS XXIV. BUCClNUmU 1 1 1 



divisions. The eighth di\ ision, containing the tapering ones, 

 would perlmps make a genus of themselves. As there are some 

 peculiarities in the form of these last that do not agree with 

 the other shells of this genus, perhaps it would be found con- 

 venient to make one or two new genera out of the other seven 

 divisions, where there is so much variety both in the form of 

 the mouth and in many other particulars. 



The essential character of the Buccinum appears to be the 

 canal leaning to the right ; but then, as was observed before, 

 the shells must be reversed from their natural positions : but 

 this description does not weW apply to those shells like Olea- 

 rium and Galea, which have only a truncated hollow, and not 

 a canal extending beyond the surface of the shell : accord- 

 ingly we find many shells with this kind of hollow placed 

 among the Mim'ces, in the division Ecaudati, as M. Ricimis, 

 Hippocastanwn, &c. 



There are not many of the animals know n that inhabit these 

 shells, and those that are known do not differ much fi'om the 

 animals of the Muriccs ; they all protrude their heads from 

 under the end furthest from the spire ; the breathing tube pass- 

 ing through the canal or hollow at that end is generally in 

 length about one-sixth part of the whole length of the shell ; 

 the horns and eyes are like the Cyproia ; most of them have 

 a thin cartilaginous operculum ; the animals of the tapering- 

 shells differ a little from the others, but agree nearly with 

 those of the tapering Murices. 



Linnaeus divides the Buccina into eight divisions, which he 



