CHAP. III. 



THE BUCCININiE. 



IS 



lip the last indication of Ricinula. The connection, 

 again, of these singular shells to Concholepas seems to be 

 effected by our Ricinula planospii-a j" , which has the 

 spire nearly obsolete. This, as we believe, is the true 

 course of the circle, the contents of which find their re- 

 presentatives in the sub- families. It really seems ad- 

 visable that the sub-genera of Ricinula, Nassa, Triton, 

 and such varied groups, should be characterised when 

 the science is somewhat more advanced. 



(G'i.) There is one set of analogies, however, result- 

 ing from this disposition of the Furpurince, which we 

 cannot omit, because it illustrates that sub-family by 

 which they are represented in the circle of the Turhi- 

 neUidce, — namely, the PyruUncE. This will also save 

 much useless repetition when we come to speak of the 

 latter group. 



Analogies of the Purpubin^ and the PYRULiNiE. 



Genera of the 



PURPrRIN.E. 



Pillar flattened. 



Concholcpas. 



Monoceros. 



Microtoma. 



Purpura. 

 Ricinula. 



Analogical Characters. 



r Shell smooth; spire excessively^ 

 -J small, scarcely |)rojecting; aper- V 

 C ture very effuse. 3 



Spire more lengthened, conic, 

 r Shell smooth ; spire small ; aper- 

 -J ture very effuse ; the basal ca- 

 C nal narrow and almost obsolete. 



Shell ponderous, rough, often 

 basal canal wide, and 

 leveloped. 



Pillar, or inner lip, toothed. 



r Shell po 

 ■< spired ; 

 t fully de 



Genera of the 



Pyrllin/e. 

 Pillar convex. 



Ficula. 

 Pyrula. 

 Rapella. 



Myristica. 

 Cicma. 



Considering that these sub-families belong to two supe- 

 rior divisions, of which each is the most aberrant type, 

 the coincidence of each agreeing in their details, is not 

 a little remarkable. 



{Q5.) The BucciNiNiE, or whelks, form the fifth and 

 last division of this family : they are known from the 

 murexes by having no varices, and from the PurpurincB 

 by the pillar not being flattened : they are generally re- 

 cognised by the abrupt termination of the base, which 

 is deeply notched. They are nearly all smooth shells, 



