CHAPTER XXIIl. 



OF THE CONUS. GENUS XX. 



CON US. 



" Animal a Limax. Shell univalve, convolute, turbinate ; the apcituie 

 effuse, longitudinal, and linear, without teeth, entire at the base ; pillar 

 smooth." — LiN'ff. 



The shells of this genus are rolled up in somewhat of a 

 conical or cylindrical form (^)/. 5. /. 59 and 60), the turns or 

 volutions being apparent at one end only, which end is called 

 the spire (p/. 5. /. 60. a) ; the other end is called the base by 

 Linnaeus ; the spiral end Linnaeus calls the fore part. 



The aperture, which is called the mouth, is narrow ; the end 

 furthest fi*om the spire is open or efflise, and nearly as long as 

 the whole shell (p/. 5. /. 60. Z>) ; the outer side of the apertm-e 

 is generally called the outer lip (jpl. 3. /. 60. c), w hich in this 

 genus commonly has an acute edge; the other side of the 

 aperture, which is formed by the body of the shell, is called 

 the inner or pillar lip. 



The essential character of this genus seems to be a longi- 

 tudinal aperture with both sides or lips smooth, open at the 

 end furthest from the spire, which is as it were truncate. This 

 genus is clearly distinct from any other. 



Linnaeus makes four divisions, which appear to be but of 

 litlle use, the species varying by such small differences that it 

 is frequently very uncertain in which division they should be 



