NASSID^. 345 



Pyrula Carica was wrongly given by Turton^ in his 

 ' Conchological Dictionary/ as a Dublin-Bay shell; it 

 is a native of the North- American coasts. His relation 

 of the supposed discovery made my eyes when youthful 

 expand with prospective joy, not uumixed with wonder. 

 Now the latter feeling is almost extinct — perhaps both 

 of them. 



Family XXIX. NAS'SID^, Stimpson. 



Body spiral, usually short ; in other particulars agreeing 

 with the last two families. Sexes also separate. 



Shell conic-oval or oblong, of small size, variously sculp- 

 tured : spire more or less turreted : canal short and abrupt : 

 'pillar plicated : operculum horny, increasing by semielliptical 

 or curved layers ; nucleus blunt and terminal. 



This family has been founded lately, by Professor 

 Stimpson, on an odontological basis, ^^on account of the 

 arched form and very numerous denticles of the rhachi- 

 dian tooth of the lingual ribbon.^^ Mr. Macdonald had 

 previously adduced another character of the same kind, 

 in distinguishing Nassa from Buccinum, viz. " the ab- 

 sence of smaller denticles between the two principal 

 fangs of the pleurse.^^ The shells of Nassidce differ from 

 those of BuccinidcB and Muricidce in having the pillar 

 plicated; the nucleus of the operculum is placed as in 

 the last-named family. 



Genus I. NASSAU Lamarck. PI. VI. f. 4. 



Body short : pallial tube narrow and extended : tentacles of 

 moderate length : eyes placed on stalks from one-third to half 

 the way up the tentacles : foot large, in front broad and with an- 

 gular corners ; tail cloven, and furnished with two tentacle- 

 like processes : [^odontopliore ; rhachis broad, arched, pecti- 

 nated ; uncinus having a tooth at the base. (Loven.)] 



* A wicker basket, with a narrow neck, for catching fish. 



