CHAP. III. THE TURBINELLIX/E. 77 



■these we designated, on a former occasion*, as the 

 PyrelJa spirilla : it so completely represents Pyrula in 

 this group, that no one can mistake the analogy ; while 

 it differs from the old Turbinellce, by having no other 

 indication of teeth but a sharp ridge along the bottom 

 of the aperture. Following this, we assemble nearly all 

 the fossil Tarhinell(B under the name of Clavalithes: 

 they form, in our estimation, one of the best defined 

 and most natural groups in malacology ; and our only 

 surprise is, that they never should have been so defined 

 by Lamarck. The species, we believe, are all foutid in 

 the plastic clay formations. They have hitherto been 

 confounded with Fu.ms, but they clearly hold an in- 

 termediate station between that genus, or rather sub- 

 family, and the typical TurhineUcs, close to which we 

 now arrange them. The Clavalithes, in short, are 

 Turbinellce, without plaits on their pillar, and with a 

 more lengthened spire, but the tip of which is also pa- 

 pillary : the smoothness of the inner lip, and the fusi- 

 form shape of the shell, has probably induced authors 

 to place them with Fusus ; but the great size of the 

 body-whorl, the papillary spire, and the thickness and 

 general habit of all these shells, bring them much 

 nearer to Turhinella. Several species occur among the 

 fossils of the Paris basin; and one or two of gigantic 

 size are found at Hordwell Cliff, in Hampshire. We 

 have now indicated four of the types of form or ge- 

 nera, which compose the natural series of the Turbi- 

 NELLiN^ : but there is a hiatus between Turhinella 

 and Fasciolaria ; and this cannot be filled up by any 

 shells which, so far as we are aware, have yet. been 

 published. As this form, according to our theory, 

 should represent Scolymus and Murex, we should 

 expect it would have the general shape, and plaits on 

 the pillars, of Turhinella, but with the rugosity and 

 perhaps the spines of a Scolymus or Murex. Now, such 

 a recent shell we have a distinct recollection of see- 

 ing, many years ago, in the hands of a dealer ; and we 



* Zool. 111. series i. 



