106 MAXIMAL OF THE MOLLUSCA. 



Seraphs, Moutfort. (Terebellum, Lam.) 



Eii/m., diminutive of terehra, an auger. 



Type, S. terebellum (Linnreus sp.)=T. sub ula turn. Lam. PI. IV., fig. 5, 



Shell smootb, sub-cylindrical ; spire short or none ; apertm*e long and 

 narrow, trimcated below ; outer lip tbin. 



Distr., 1 sp. China. Philippines, 8 fms. (Cuming.) 



Fossil, 5 sp. Eocene — . London, Paris. 



The animal of terehellum has an operculum like stromhis ; its eye-pedicel» 

 are simple, mthout tentacles (Adams). In one fossil species, T. fasiforme, 

 there is a short posterior canal, as in rostellaria. 



PAMILY II. MuRiciD.E. 



Shell with a straight anterior canal ; aperture entire behind. 



Animal with a broad foot ; eyes sessile on the tentacles, or at their base ; 

 branchial plumes 2. Lingual ribbon long, linear ; rachis armed with a sin- 

 gle series of dentated teeth ; VMcini, single. Predatory, on other mollusca. 



MuREX (Pliny) L. 



Types, M. palma-rosje, PI. IV., fig. 10. M. tenuispina, PL IV., fig. 9. M. 

 hausteUmn, PI. IV., fig. 8. M. radix, pinnatus. 



Shell ornamented with thi'ee or more continuous longitudinal varices ; 

 aperture rounded ; beak often very long ; canal partly closed ; operculum 

 concentric, nucleus sub-apical (PI. IV., fig. 10) ; lingual dentition (M. erinaceus), 

 teeth single, 3 crested ; uncini single, cm'ved. 



Distr., 180 sp. World-wide ; most abundant on the W. coast of tropical 

 America, in the Chinese Sea, West coast of Africa, West Indies; ranging 

 fi'om low water to 25 fathoms, rarely at 60 fathdms. 



Fossil, 160 sp. Eocene — . Britain, France, &c. 



A few of the species usually referred to this genus, belong to jtisania 

 and trophon. 



The murices appear to form only one-third of a whii-1 annually, ending in 

 a varix ; some species form intermediate varices of less extent. M. erinaceiis 

 a very abundant species on the coasts of the channel, is called " sting-^vinlde" 

 by fisheimen, who say it makes round holes in the other shell-fish with its 

 beak. See p. 27. The ancients obtained their pm-ple dye from species of 

 murex ; the small shells were bruised in mortars, the animals of the larger 

 ones taken out. (E. Col.) Heaps of broken shells of the M. trtmculus and 

 caldj'on -shaped holes in the rocks may stiU be seen on the Tyi'ian shore, 

 (Wilde.) On the coast of the ]Morea, there is similar CAadence of the 

 employment of M. brandaris for the same pm-pose. (M. Boblaye.) 



Typpiis, Montfort. 

 Eti/m., ti/phos, smoke. 



