5 
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE MALACOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
been destroyed by a collector of radule. I also take advantage of 
the opportunity to add a few notes! regarding the morphology of certain 
other supposed members of the Volutoid series. 
Votura musica, Linn. 
The material at my disposal consisted of five examples, all of which 
were males, of the small pink variety. The shells, which will be 
deposited in the British Museum, measured from 4°3 to 5cm. in 
length.? The animals were received in their shells. They had been 
preserved in formalin, but were not in very good condition for 
dissection ; being much contracted, and in each ease the visceral sac 
had entirely disappeared, decomposition having apparently set in 
before the animals were pickled. 
External characters of the Animal.—As already mentioned, the ex- 
ternal characters of this Volute have been pretty fully described by 
Fischer (5) from a spirit specimen; but the following particulars may 
be added to his account, bearing in mind that my material also was 
not fresh, but had been preserved in formol. 
During life V. musica must present an exceeding handsome 
appearance. The dorsal surface of the foot is covered with large 
pigment spots, having the appearance of being contractile chromato- 
phores, upon a speckled or splashed ground. The sole of the foot is 
similarly marked, but the markings are of a paler shade. In the pre- 
served state the speckled markings are of a reddish-brown colour, 
while the larger spots are of a rich purple brown; but it is of course 
possible that the colours of the living animal may be altogether 
different. As was remarked by Fischer, the introvert presents the 
very unusual feature of being pigmented like the exterior of the body. 
The foot is rounded posteriorly : : anteriorly it is deeply notched, has 
the angles produced and the front margin duplicated. “Ihe operculum 
is mounted upon a distinct opercular pad, and placed transversely to 
the long axis of the foot. I could discern no trace of any pedal pore, 
but am not prepared to deny the existence of such a structure. The 
appendages of the siphon appear to be somewhat variable; and, as 
remarked by Fischer, they are of very unequal size. That on the right 
side is a small tongue- shaped structure lying entirely within the 
mantle edge; while the left one is about as broad as the siphon itself, 
and, arising about half-way along the latter, runs parallel with it to 
its extremity, thus producing the appearance of a cleft siphon. The 
siphon with its appendages is pigmented, except at its hinder angle, 
1 For the opportunity to examine such of the late Mr. Martin F. Woodward’s 
dissections as are preserved in the Zoological Laboratory of the Royal College 
of Science, my thanks are due to Dr. G. B. Howes; and I am indebted 
to Mr. E. A. Smith for permission to work through Dr. Gray’s original 
preparations of raduls which are now in the British Museum. 
* It is very probable that this diminutive size of certain specimens of V. musica is 
a sexual character. Fischer (4) has recorded that the male of Lyria deliciosa 
has a smaller shell than has the female; and this type of sexual dimorphism 
would appear to be not at all uncommon among Prosobranchs. 
