106 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



OF THE VOLVTA. GENUS XXIII. 



VOI.UTA. 



" Animal a Limax. Shell one-celled, spiral ; aperture not lengthened, some- 

 what hollowed; pillar with folds; lip with no hollow." — Linn. 



There i.s a great variety in the form of the mouth as well as 

 in the shape of the shells which are arranged together under 

 this genus. Some, as V. Oliva, porphyria, &c., are nearly 

 allied to the genus Conus ; in others, as V. Cymbium, Olla, 

 &c., the form of the mouth approaches to that of the Bulla 

 Ampulla and Ugnaria. V. marginata resembles a Cypraa, 

 and V. reticulata, cancellata, &c., scarcely can be said to 

 differ from the Buccina ; while some others, like V. Pyrum, 

 have the aperture ending in a straight canal, which is the 

 essential character of the Murex ; and Auris Midee and some 

 others diifer but little fi'om the Helix. 



The essential character of the Valuta is considered to be the 

 folds on the pillar lip, or, as they are oftentimes called, the 

 teeth. These folds or teeth are in some species oblique, as in 

 V. indica and Cymbium ; and in others transverse, as V. mu- 

 sica ; while in several they are very obscure, if not wanting, 

 as V. rustica, mercenaria, Tringa, &c. 



Tliis is by no means a natural genus ; and as almost every 



