^OO DOLIUM. BUCCINUM. EBURNA. 



Dolium galeum is sometimes the size of the 

 human head. D. perdLv is a choice species. 



" Biiccinum contains some British species, as 

 B. reticulatum, (Plate 7,) B.angelicaniim, B. 

 undatum^ which is very common. In connexion 

 with this species I wish you to know that a ma- 

 rine substance, called by sailors sea-wash balls, 

 by others sea-sponge, and extremely common on 

 all our sea-coasts, is the egg-cases of the Bucci- 

 num undaticm. The mass is remarkably light, 

 and composed of numerous little cells, each of 

 which has an opening. The colour varies from 

 yellow to white,'"* 



" I know them well," exclaimed Lucy, " how 

 often I have asked the name of those nests, but 

 never could I obtain a reply worth having ! 

 And now, father, give me leave to interrupt you 

 a few minutes. What are those black, stiff, 

 marine substances, with a horn-like projection 

 at each of the four corners ; they are all hollow, 

 and open at each end, I think, and usually in- 

 flated ?'' 



" The egg-cases of the scate." 



" Thank you, father, I will examine them 

 again carefully when I am at the sea-side." 



" The genus Eburna," continued Mr. Elliot, 

 " is remarkable from the smoothness of the shells. 

 jE. spirata, the Joppa whelk, has the whorls 

 deeply channelled. (See the Frontispiece.) 



