UNIVALVES. BUCCINUM. 87 



BUCCINUM.— Whelk. 



Animal — aLimax: Shell univalve, spiralj gihhous , aper- 

 ture ovate, terminating in a short canal, leaning to the 

 right, with a retuse beak or projection; pillar-lip ex- 

 panded. 



This genus comprises two hundred species, which are 

 remarkable for their great beauty and variety. The 

 Buccinum may be distinguished from the G. Murex, 

 (which it closely resembles), by its beak or canal being 

 usually much shorter, and inclining to the right instead 

 of the left; it is also generally more gibbous, which is 

 particularly the case with those species called tuns and 

 helmets. The tuns are for the most part of a brittle and 

 light fabric, and although some of them grow to a large 

 size, yet even then they retain their characteristic fragil- 

 ity and thinness. 



The B, dolium, B. perdix, and the B. galea are the 

 most common species; the latter of which sometimes ex- 

 ceeds ten inches in diameter. 



The helmets, which compose the second division, are 

 nearly allied to the tuns, but are distinguished by having 

 both their lips, with few exceptions, crenated with strong 

 articulated teeth; they are also covered with prominent 

 protuberances or knobs. Among the species of this de- 

 scription may be enumerated the B. plicatum, B. cornu- 

 tum, and B. rufum, which is remarkable for its nodulous 

 belts, and the fiery-red color of its mouth. 



The fifth division contains the Harps, which are con- 

 sidered the most valuable and beautiful species of the ge- 



