TURTONIA. 81 



aspect, the shell is removed at once from that genus by the 

 structure of its ligament, whilst the produced anal siphon 

 equally distinguishes the animal. Professor Loven, in his 

 " Index Molluscorum Scandinavia?,'" has placed the Tur- 

 tonia minuta, with a query, in Cyamium of Philippi, a 

 genus founded for a curious antarctic shell, but where it 

 cannot remain, since the latter has an internal ligament. 



The genus is dedicated to Dr. Turton, a clever but 

 eccentric conchologist, who, by his energy and scholarship, 

 gave a great impulse to the study of our native shells. 

 His -collections are fortunately mainly preserved in the 

 magnificent cabinet of our valued friend and correspondent, 

 Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys. A close examination of them has 

 shewn that Turton was not always to be relied upon in 

 his published statements, and that a severe and critical 

 judgment must be applied to his labours in conchology. 



T. minuta, O. Fabricius. 



Plate XVIII. fig. 7 and 7 a, and (Animal) plate 0. fig. 1. 



Venus minuta, 0. Fabr. Fauna Grasnl. p. 412. 



Mya purpurea, Mont. Test. Brit. Suppl. p. 21. — Turt. Conch. Diction, p. 102. 



— Wood, General Conch, p. 100. — Dillw. Recent Shells, 



vol. i. p. 46. 

 Moniacuta ? purpurea, Hanl. in Brit. Marine Conch, p. 25, f. 14. 

 Erycina purpurea, Recluz. Rev. Zool. 1844, p. 329. 

 Lescea minuta, Moller, Ind. Moll. Gra;nl. p. 20. 

 Saa'icava purpurea, Brown, 111. Conch. G. B. p. 103 (not figures). 

 Cyamium ? minutum, Loven, Ind. Moll. Scandinavise, p. 42. 

 Turtonia minuta, Alder, Cat. Northumb. and Durham Moll. p. 95. 



This minute shell, which, although known to Montagu, 

 escaped the observation of Turton, is of an oval and very 

 slightly sub-cordate shape, thin, semitransparent, very in- 

 equilateral, slightly glossy, almost smooth, and of a pur- 

 plish brown tint, which becomes deeper coloured poste- 



VOL. II. m 



