BUCCINUM. 411 



seven or eight in number, moderately ventricose, taper 

 above, are of tolerably fast longitudinal increase, end in 

 a very blunt apex, and are divided from each other by a 

 simple yet strongly pronounced suture. The spire is 

 somewhat exceeded in length by the much rounded body- 

 whorl, which is gradual but very convex in its basal de- 

 clination, and ends anteriorly in a rather projecting and 

 gently recurved short canal. The mouth occupies about 

 one-half of the entire length, is acutely subovate, sharply 

 contracted above, nearly twice as long as broad, is flesh 

 or horn-coloured, and devoid of all sculpture whatsoever. 

 The posterior enamel of the inner lip appears to be but 

 thinly spread, but this probably depends on local circum- 

 stances. The outer lip is moderately prominent, slightly 

 thickened and reflected at the margin, greatly arcuated 

 somewhat receding anteriorly ; the edge itself is a little in- 

 curved or retuse in the middle. The body swells out above 

 into the mouth ; the rest of the columellar lip is tolerably 

 straight, as the medial concavity is but trifling. There 

 is not the faintest indication of any axial perforation. 

 The shell is said to attain to two inches in length, and one 

 inch in breadth, a size superior to the dimensions of any 

 example we remember to have examined.* 



The animal is unknown. Like the last species, this ap- 

 pears to be an arctic form lingering in our fauna. It was 

 found off* Bearhaven, Cork harbour, by Mr. Humphreys, 

 and has been taken ofl" Skye by Mr. Barlee. Mr. Jef- 

 freys informs us that it was taken in Bantry Bay by 

 Mrs. Puxley and Dr. Armstrong. 



* Although the extreme rarity of this shell prevents us from tracing the links, 

 it is by no means impossible that it may form one species with the B. ciliatum of 

 Gould, Inv. Mass. p. 307, f. 209 (as of 0. Fabric.) from which Dekay, New York 

 Moll. p. 134.— Reeve, Conch. Icon. vol. iii. Buc. pi. 1, f. 1, from B. i^cnlrkosum, 

 Kiener, Coq. Viv. pi. 3, f. 7. 



