46 Mr. W. Clark on the lanthinae, Scalarise, 



These anomalous genera must not be looked on as freaks of 

 nature ; they are her avenues from one division of a class to 

 another. Under the respective genera will be pointed out the 

 curious characters that connect them with particular groups, and 

 also the various differential points with each other, which though 

 conchologically great in appearance, when malacologically exa- 

 mined will exhibit striking similarities : for instance, lanthina and 

 Scalaria are inseparable, as are Natica, Lamellaria, and Velutina ; 

 but notwithstanding their respective discrepancies, they all have 

 various connecting links, decidedly showing that they form a 

 single family about to blend with the strict Muricida. Many 

 considerations have induced me to propose the Peloridce. Abs- 

 tractedly, I would rather have preferred the transfer of its pro- 

 posed genera as sections of the Muricidce, with which group 

 they appear to have the greater approximation ; nevertheless for 

 the present I abandon this view, on the plea that one inter- 

 mediate family would be less repugnant to the feelings of con- 

 chologists, and even to some malacologists, than the adoption of 

 five families or the creation of five sections of essentially the same 

 malacological structure. However great may be the disappro- 

 bation of naturalists at these changes, we feel it to be our duty 

 to see that nature is satisfied before conchological hypothesis, 

 and we fearlessly invite malacologists to point out a more natural 

 site for these creatm-es, than as a united anomalous group, im- 

 mediately abutting on the Muricidal tribes. 



This family will conspicuously illustrate the great advantage, 

 nay even the triumph, of malacological facts over conchological 

 considerations, and point out the little reliance to be placed on 

 the form of the hard parts as distinctive characters. What con- 

 chologist would have ventured to associate these anomalous 

 genera in the same circle ? Conchology could never have given 

 to these singular objects an appropriate constitution : without 

 the assistance of malacology they would for ever have remained 

 a nomadic tribe, and indefinitely the sport of hypothesis. 



Fam. PELORiDiE, nobis. 



Animalia, quoad testam, formae variabilis, nunc, Naticam, 

 Sigaretum, nunc, BuUam, aut Scalariam simulantia ; apertura 

 integra vel canali obsoleto; quoad organa essentialia, summse 

 consensionis ; semper proboscide retractili plus minusve longa 

 prsedita ; pallio ad latus columnari, canalem bi-evem efformante. 



lanthina, Lamarck. 



This singular genus appears not to be indigenous to any of 

 the coasts of our globe ; it has a truly oceanic habitat amidst the 



