UNIVALVES BUCCINUM. 113 



BUCCINUM Whelk. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXIV. 



Dnr. I Fam. 1. Fig. 3. B. dolium. 



DiT. IV.— Fam. 2. Fig. 1. B. decussatum. 

 Div. V. —Fam. 2. Fig. 2. B. papillosum. 



Div. VI Fam. 1. Fig. 5. B. pullus. 



DiT. VII. —Fig. 7. B. harpa. 



Dnr. VIII. — Fam. 1. Fig. 6. B. monodon. 



Div. XIII Fig. 4. B. spiratum. 



Div. XVI — Fam. 1. Fig. 8. B. niaculatuin. 



Shell univalve, spiral, gibbous; aperture ovate, terminating in a 

 short canal, leaning to the right, with a retuse beak or projection ; 

 pillar-lip expanded. 



THIS genus is rendered difficult to separate from the 

 Murex, by a striking similarity of form in some of its 

 species. The leading distinction of the Buccinum is 

 its beak or canal, which is usually much shorter than that 

 of the Murex, and also inclines to the right : the shape 

 of the former being more gibbous, constitutes another 

 distinctive character. 



Of the numerous divisions of this genus, the 

 first is composed of those shells which are commonly 

 known by the name of Tuns ; they have a brittle and 

 light stinicture, and although some of them grow to a 

 large size, they retain their characteristic fragility and 



thinness; their form is almost invariably globose. 



The B. dolium, B. olearium, and B. galea, are the most 

 common species ; the latter of which sometimes exceeds 

 ten inches in diameter. 

 I 



