XXII. Descriptions of some new Species of Calyptreide. By W. J. Broperip, Esq., 
Vice-Pres. of the Geological and Zoological Societies, F.R.S., L.S., &e. 
Communicated February 25 and May 13, 1834. 
AFTER an inspection of perhaps the largest collection of Calyptreide ever brought 
together, I am inclined to think that the best specific characters are to be found in the 
markings or sculpture of the external shell, in the shape of the delicate internal chamber 
or cup (cyathus, as I have designated it in Calyptrea and Calypeopsis), and in the mode 
of its adhesion to the inside of the limpet-like shell which contains and protects it. 
External form, the character solely relied on by Lamarck, varies so much, according to 
the accidents of locality, that very little reliance is to be placed upon it ; for the animal 
seems to accommodate the shell entirely to the circumstances under which it is placed. 
1 have before me specimens taken from under the same stone, evidently of the same 
species, varying in shape from a regular high cone to an almost flat surface, with nearly 
every intervening irregularity of circumference that can be imagined. Thus much I 
have ventured as an apology for not laying great stress on that which satisfied Lamarck, 
who did so much for the science ; but when it is remembered that he has only described 
four recent and two fossil species of Calyptrea and but six species of Crepidula, it will 
readily occur to the reader that he had not the opportunities of judging of the value of 
external shape which the rich collection brought home by Mr. Cuming has afforded me. 
That collection contains all the species that are described in the present communication. 
M. Deshayes has given the anatomy of Calyptrea Sinensis, Lam., with his usual ac- 
curacy; and M. Lesson, in the ‘ Zoologie de la Coquille,’ has divided the Calyptree and 
Crepidule into several subgenera, observing that it is immaterial by which of the above- 
mentioned names the leading genus is known. M. Lesson chooses Calyptrea, and the 
following arrangement will be very nearly the same as his, though it may be necessary 
to make some slight alterations, and to extend the definition of his subgenus Ca- 
lyptrea. 
M. Lesson has founded his arrangement upon the following observations. ‘‘ L’animal 
des calyptrées et des crépidules nous parait ne différer en rien d’essentiel ; et quant a 
la cloison du test, soit que cette cloison soit transversale, soit qu’elle ne consiste qu’en 
lamelles annexées au fond de la coquille, elle présente des passages de ces deux états 
et ne peut servir qu’a établir de simples sous-genres au grand genre celyptrea ou cre- 
pidula comme on voudra l’appeler. Voici ce que nous pensons qu’on pourrait admettre 
dans |’état actuel de nos connaissances.”! 
1 Zoologie de la Coquille, tom. ii. p. 888. et seq. 
VOL, I. 2D 
