82 



SHELLS AND SHELL-FISH. 



than equal to the entire length of the shell, while the 

 operculum is only rudimentary. A singular unde- 

 scribed shell, just communicated to us by Mr. Stuch- 

 bury, is evidently intermediate between the shape of 

 the shells of Eburna and Struthiolaria ; so that this 

 part of our series is definite. We must now return to 

 Cyllene, for the purpose of showing its close approxi- 

 mation to the fourth genus, Pseudoliva, the type of 

 which is the Buccinum plumheum of Linnaean authors. 

 The very aspect of this {fig. 3. a) is quite sufficient to 

 show its proximity to ^^ 3 



Cyllene, and its abso- 

 lute connection with 

 the VolutidcB by means 

 of Olivillabiplicata (&). 

 Last of all, as forming 

 a passage to the Py- 

 rulce, we have Lati- 

 axis Mawce^ (Sw.), 

 where thechannelround 

 the whorls is so broad that they become almost discon- 

 nected. At first sight, this shell would appear a mon- 

 strosity, did we not remember its prototype, Scalaria 

 pretiosa, not to mention the tribe of Tuhidihi^anchia. 

 We consider it therefore as perfect in its kind, related to 

 all the types we have noticed by its channeled suture, to 

 Ehurna by its large umbilicus, and to Rapella (the first 

 genus of the Pyriilincp) by something, very difficult to de- 

 scribe, in its general shape. The whole sub-family may 

 therefore be defined as shells whose base is truncate, having 

 a channel more or less developed round the whorls, an 

 aperture contracted at its base, and generally either 

 emarginate as in Eburna, or very slightly notched as 

 in Struthiolaria and Latiaxis : the inner lip is much 

 developed and spreading, without having a defined 

 margin. The following table will also exhibit some of 

 its analogies ; the group, as a whole, being evidently a 

 representation of the JVassincB in the neighbouring 

 family of the Muricidce. 



* Griff Cuv. pi. 25. figs. 5, 4. 



