106 MANUAL OF THE MOLLUSCA. 



Seraphs, ]Moutfort. (Tcrebellum, Lain.) 



Eti/m., diminutive of terehra, an auger. 



Ttjpe, S. terebellimi (Liuupeus sp.)=T. subidatum, Lam. PI. IV., fig. 5. 



Shell smooth, sub-cyliudrical ; spire sbort or none ; aperture long and 

 narrow, truncated below ; outer lip tliiu. 



Distr., 1 sp. China. Philippines, 8 fms. (Cuming.) 



Fossil, 5 sp. Eocene — . London, Paris. 



The animal of terelellum has an opercxdmu like sfromhus ; its eye-pedicels 

 are simple, without tentacles (Adams). Li one fossil species, T. fusiforme, 

 there is a short posterior canal, as in rostellaria. 



PA:\ITLY II. MUKICID.E. 



Shell with a straight anterior canal ; aperture entire behind. 



Animal with a broad foot ; eyes sessile on the tentacles, or at their base ; 

 branchial plumes 2. Lingual ribbon long, lineai' ; rachis armed with a sin- 

 gle series of dentated teeth ; uncifii, single. Predatory, on other mollu^ca. 



MuREX (Pliny) L. 



Tiipes, M. palma-rosffi, PI. IV., fig. 10. M. tenuispiua, PI. IV., fig. 9. M. 

 hausteUimi, PI. IV., fig. 8. M. radix, pinnatus. 



Shell ornamented \N-ith tlu-ee or more continuous longitudinal varices ; 

 aperture rounded ; beak often veiy long ; canal partly closed ; operaiUtm 

 concentric, nucleus sub-apical (PI. IV., fig. 10) ; lingual dentition (M. erinaceus), 

 teeth single, 3 crested ; uncini single, curved. 



Distr., 180 sp. World-wide; most abundant on the W. coast of ti'opical 

 America, in the Chinese Sea, "West coast of Africa, West Indies ; ranging 

 from low water to 25 fathoms, rarely at 60 fathoms. 



Fossil, 160 sp. Eocene — , Britain, Prance, &c. 



A few of the species usually referred to this genus, belong *to pisania 

 and trophon. 



The murices appear to form only one-third of a wliirl annually, ending in 

 a varix ; some species form intermediate varices of less extent. M. erinaceus 

 a very abundant species on the coasts of the channel, is called " sting-mnkle" 

 by fishermen, who say it makes roimd holes in the other shell-fish with its 

 beak. See p. 27. The ancients obtained theii- pm-ple dye ft'om species of 

 raurex ; the small shells were bniised in mortai-s, the animals of the larger 

 ones taken out. (P. Col.) Heaps of broken shells of the M. tnmculus and 

 caldron- shaped holes in the rocks may stiU be seen on the Tyrian shore. 

 (Wilde.) On the coast of the Morea, there is similar evidence of the 

 employment of M. brandaris for the same purpose. (M. Boblaye.) 



Typhis, Montfort. 

 Etym,, ti/phos, smoke. 



