a Genus of quasiparasitic Mollusks. 329 
Let me say a few words as to the name of this genus and the 
European species. Although the Greek orthography is followed 
in our word style, it is clear that the Latin word sé¢e/us was not 
spelt with a y: it is, of course, from this latter word that Séilifer 
is derived. Whether it is correct to form a generic name with 
an adjective may be very questionable; but use has sanctioned 
it in the present instance, as well as in Spirifer, Stiliger, Lobiger, 
Tanthina, Vitrina, and many others of general acceptation. 
According to some purists, the specific name given by the disco- 
verer, if subsequently adopted as generic, ought to be retained ; so 
that the European species would be Stilifer stilifer. Precedents 
are not wanting for such a reduplication of the name under 
similar circumstances, e.g. Volva volva, Turricula turricula, &c. 
But it would be very inconvenient to alter the specific name 
Turtoni, which is so familiar to all conchologists, to say nothing 
of the inelegance of this system of nomenclature, or of its being 
contrary to one of the rules recommended by a committee of 
the British Association. 
This specific name has been spelt, too, in different ways. We 
have Galeomma Turtoni, Scalaria Turtonis, and not only Stilifer 
Turtoni of Broderip, but S. Turtonii of Lovén. The termination 
of the proper name from which all these originated is a Greek, 
and not a Latin, form ; and if it is to be so declined, the genitive 
would be -is, with the penultimate syllable short, as Acton, 
Acteonis ; Alemeon, Alemeonis, &e.: so Turton, Turtonis. But 
if we Latinize the name by adding us to it, the genitive would 
bei: Turtonus, Turtoni; just as Galen was Galenus -1 in the works 
of ancient authors. I must offer an apology for this pedantic 
explanation, although it may be well to have the name in ques- 
tion uniformly spelt. 
The following are all the known species of Stzlifer, with such 
particulars of their geographical distribution and habits as I 
have been able to collect. 
A. Spire short. 
1. Stilifer Turtoni, Broderip. 
Synonyms: Phasianella stylifera, Turton. 
Stylifer globosus, Johnston (1841). 
S. astericola, Brown (1844). 
S. stylifera, Hanley (1844). 
S. Turtonii, Lovén (1846). 
Habitat. On Echinus esculentus, E. saxatils, E. pictus (Nor- 
-man, MS.) and HL. Drébachiensis, in from 20 to 80 fathoms, 
British and Scandinavian Seas. 
This being local, and more especially the subject of the pre- 
sent paper, some further details of its distribution may be de- 
sirable. 
