112 CONCHOLOGY. 



FAMILY XV. 



ScALAKiNA. Three genera. 



1. Genus Scalaria. PI. XI. 

 ^9niinaL Spiral ; foot short, oval, and inserted beneath the 

 neck ; two tentacula terminated by a filament, and having the 

 eyes at the extremity of the dilated portion ; a proboscis. 



Shell. Marine, aperture circular, spire more or less pressed 

 and furnished with longitudinal ribs, formed by the preservation 

 of the reflected margin of the aperture ; edges united, thickened, 

 and outwardly reflected ; operculum horny and thin. Inhabits 

 the American and Indian seas. Eleven living species, and three 

 fossil. 



Scalaria coronata. Scalaria varicosa. 



S. communis. . S. raricota. 



S. Australis. S. lamellosa. 



S. tenebralis. S. pretiosa. 



S. Martinii.* S. NovangUa * 



S. subulata.* 



2. Genus Vertnetus. PI. XL 



Aiiimal. As preceding genus. 



Shell. Very similar to the .Serpula, but the organization of 

 the animal makes it a distinct genus ; often found clustered to- 

 gether and attached to marine substances; conical, thin tubular, 

 loosely spiral, aperture straight, circular, edges sharp and com- 

 plete, several partitions not perforated towards the summit, oper- 

 culum horny and complete. Inhabits the sandy shores of the 

 W. Indies and Africa. Two species. 



Vermetus lumbricalis. Vermetus maximus. 



3. Genus Belphinula. PI. XI. 

 ..inimal. See Scalaria. 



. Shell. Thick, and pearly in the interior subdiscoid or conical ; 

 spiral whorls rough or angular, often detached, spiny, large umbi- 

 licus, sometimes triangular ; the margins united, mostly fringed or 



