94 AUBICULID^!. 



The species which belong to the above-characterized genus 

 were by Linnasus first placed in the genus Bulla, then in Vo- 

 luta ; by 0. F. Midler in Helix ; by Bruguiere in Bulimies. The 

 Voluta aim's Midce and auris Judce of Linnasus formed a part 

 of Bolten's genus Ellobium, adopted by PI. and A. Adams, but 

 comprehending originally such different types {Bidimus, Cas- 

 sidula, Melampus), that this name ought not to be admitted. 

 Lamarck founded (1801) his genus Auricula on the type of 

 Valuta auris Midce, Linn., but in his other works he extended 

 that name to the whole of the family Auriculidce ; and most re- 

 cent authors have adopted the genus Auricula in the wider sense, 

 except the above-quoted writers, who returned to Lamarck's 

 original opinion, and use the restricted genus under the same 

 or other names. 



Nevertheless the characters of this genus are not perfectly 

 exact, so as to prevent any confusion with other genera : Auri- 

 cula subula and elongata are very similar to Melampus australis 

 and several others ; and A. frumentum and arena, Pet., form, in 

 II. and A. Adams's Monograph, the subgenus Siona, referred to 

 Cassidula, together with A. triticea, Phil., wnich seems to be a 

 true Melampus. An anatomical examination must, at some 

 future time, assign their true places to these doubtful species. 



1. Al7EICt T LA AtTBIS MlDiE. B.M. 



Shell imperforate, ovate-oblong, thick, heavy, white, covered 

 with a brown periostraca ; spire regularly conic, rather blunt ; 

 suture linear ; whorls eight, flat, sculptured with small tuber- 

 cles, arranged in series, last whorl forming two-thirds of the 

 total length, slightly angled above, granulated above the angle 

 and at base, wrinkled on the remaining part, and decussated by 

 minute spiral striae, furnished with a thick varix, which is 

 sometimes acutely prominent ; aperture perpendicular, pale 

 flesh-coloured, narrowly semiovate, contracted in the middle ; 

 body of the penultimate whorl bearing a single strong, com- 

 pressed, ascending plait ; columellar plait smaller, twisted, enter- 

 ing arcuately; peristome thick, white or flesh-coloured, with 

 the margins united by a broad longitudinal deposit, which is 

 elevated triangularly ; right margin bearing within a prominent 

 callus, provided, at its middle part, with an indistinct tubercle. 

 Length 84-93, breadth 36-48 mill. 



Bulla auris Midse, Linn. Si/st. ed. 10. p. 728. n. 344 ; 31us. Lad. 



Ulr. p. 589. n. 226. 

 Voluta auris Midae, Linn. Syst. ed. 12. p. 1186. n. 392. 

 Schrbt. Einl. i. p. 196. " 

 Gmel. Syst. p. 3435. n. 1. 



