178 Dr. J. E. Gray on the Head of the genus Conus. 



used to pierce the animal, which is held fast by the contraction 

 of the veil as described by Adanson. The organization and 

 structure of the mouth are so unlike that of the other Proboscidifera 

 and Rostrifera, where the teeth are placed on a lingual band and 

 used to rasp the food, being replaced by others as those in action 

 are injured by use, that I am inclined to form the Cones into a 

 third suborder, which may be called Toxifera ; and it is probable 

 that the Pleurotomidce, which are described by Loven as having 

 similar subulate teeth in two series, should be placed in the same 

 suborder, as they appear to differ from the Cones chiefly in the 

 veil being truncated and not produced round the base of the 

 proboscis, — a character of comparatively little importance, as the 

 Delia, and probably the Cassides, and some species of Tritons, 

 have the veil more or less produced, forming a more or less 

 distinct tube round the base of the proboscis, and giving the 

 appearance of having a very short rostrum. 



While on the subject, I may observe that the genera Cassidulus, 

 Cochlidium, and I believe Fulgur, have the head produced into 

 an elongated cone like a rostrum ; but in these the tentacles, 

 which are generally very small, are placed at the top of the cone 

 on the side of the small apex, from which the very long retractile 

 proboscis is emitted, as in the TuorindXProboscidifera. lam inclined, 

 on account of this peculiarity in the form of the head, to separate 

 these genera from Muricidce and form for them the family Cassi- 

 dulidce. 



I sent this communication in manuscript to Mr. Arthur 

 Adams, that he might have the opportunity of placing the fa- 

 mily Conidce in its proper position in the forthcoming number of 

 his ' Genera of Mollusca,^ and he informs me that he has observed 

 the veil of the genus expanded in the living animal, and referred 

 me to the following observations made by him on the habits of 

 these animals, showing that the theory I had ventured to propose 

 is correct : — 



" Its bite produces a venomed wound, accompanied by acute 

 pain, and making a small deep triangular mark, which is suc- 

 ceeded by a watery vesicle. At the little island of Mayo, one of 

 the Moluccas near Ternate, Sir Edward Belcher was bitten by one 

 of the Cones, which suddenly exserted its proboscis as he took it 

 out of the water with his hand, and he compared the pain he 

 experienced to that produced by the bui'ning of phosphorus 



under the skin The instrument which inflicted the wound in 



this instance was probably the tongue, which in these moUusks 

 is long and armed with two ranges of sharp-pointed teeth." 

 (Zool. Voy. Samarang, 19.) Mr. Adams informs me that it 

 adhered to the hand by its mouth like a leech, as described by 

 Adanson. 



