99 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



OF THE CYPR^A. GENUS XXI. 



CYPRMA. 



" Animal a Limax. Shell univalve, involute, nearly oval, obtuse, smooth ; 

 aperture open at both sides, linear, both sides toothed, longitudinal." — 

 Linn. 



Xhe shells of this genus are somewhat egg-shaped, with the 

 under side more or less flattened. The aperture, which is 

 conniionly very narrow, is nearly in the middle of the flattened 

 part, reaching from end to end ; each end terminates in a 

 liollow ; both sides of the aperture, which are called lips, are 

 toothed. In some species a small part of the spire may be 

 seen ; this is frequently the case with young shells, but in 

 adults it can very seldom be perceived, and then scarcely 

 more than the apex or point, but most commonly in perfect 

 shells the spire is completely hid ; in a few there is found a 

 small hollow or indent in the place of the spire; those are 

 said to be vunbilicated. 



The animals inhabiting the Cyprcece are supposed to cast 

 their shells frequently during their growth, as Crabs and 

 Lobsters do ; for, if it was not so, in the larger shells woidd 

 be found the remains of the mouth and teeth which had been 

 formed when they were small : this is seen in most Buccina 



o2 



