MUREX.— Rock or Trumpet-Shell. 



Animal—a Limax: Shell univalvCy spiral, rough, with 

 membranaceous sutures ; aperture oval, ending in an en- 

 tire, straight^ or slightly ascending canal. 



The most prominent character which distinguishes the 

 one hundred and eighty-two species of tiiis genus from 

 those of the two preceding genera, consists in the beak; 

 which, unhke them, neither inchnes to the right nor left, 

 but is ahnost invariably straight, and very much produced, 

 sometimes turning a little upwards. 



The Murices are mostly shells of unequal form, arising 

 from their surfaces being usually covered with spines, 

 knobs, striae, or foliations. There is one division which is 

 peculiar for the micomraon length of beak, which most 

 of its species are remarked for : the principal of which is 

 the Murex Haustellum or Snipes-head, and the Murex 

 Tribulus, of w hich there are two varieties ; the coiinnoner 

 sort being called the Thorny-Woodcock, and the rarer 



