Volutes.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



227 



form of their shell, whose aperture is narrow, long:, 

 notched at the end opposite to the spire, which last 

 is short. The plaits of the pillar are numerous and 

 resemblina: stria?. The whorls are hollowed into a 

 furrow. The shells of this genus do not yield in 

 beauty to those of the cowries. 



The animal of Oliva has a large foot, whose in- 

 terior part (in front of the head) is separated by an 

 inci-jion on each side ; the tentacles are slender and 

 carry the eyes on the side, about the middle of 

 their length. The proboscis, the siphon, &c., are 

 long. There is no true operculum. MM. Quoy 

 and Gaimard observed at the posterior part an ap- 

 pendage which is introduced into the furrow of the 

 whorls. 



Volvaria, Lam. 



These much resemble the olives in their oblong or 

 cylindiical form ; but their aperture is narrow, and 

 its anterior border ascends above the spire, which is 

 excessively short. One or more plates at the lower 

 part of ihe pillar. The polish and whiteness of 

 these shells cause their employment as necklaces on 

 some coasts. 



The Volutes properly so called (Voluta, Lam.). 



Ciivier characterises the genus Voluta, Lam., as 

 having a shell with an ample aperture, and the colu- 

 mella marked by large plaits, of which that which 

 is farthest from the spire is largest. The spire, he 

 observes, varies much in the extent of its projection. 



Some of this genus, continues Cuvier (Cymbium, 

 Montf. ; Cymba, Brod.), have the last whorl ven- 

 fricoJe. Their animal has a large, thick, fleshy foot, 

 without an operculum, and on the head aveil,atthe 

 sides of which are the tentacles. The proboscis is 

 rather long, and its siphon has an appendage on 

 each side of its base. The shells grow to a large 

 size, and many are very beautiful. 



Others (Voluta, !\Tontf.) have the last whorl 

 conical, narrowing towards the end opposite to the 

 spire. Their animal has not so large a foot as the 

 preceding : their shells are also often very remark- 

 able for the beauty of their colovus or the patterns 

 traced thereon. 



Marginella, Lam. 



With the form of the Volutes properly so called, 

 these have the external lip of the aperture furnished 

 with a bourrelet. Their notch is but little marked 

 According to Adanson, their animal, also, has the 

 foot very large, and wants the operculum ; it par- 

 tially covers the shell by raising the lobes of the 

 manlle. The tentacles carry the eyes on the ex- 

 ternal side of the base. 



Columbella, Lam. 



The plaits of the pillar are numerous, and the 

 bourrelet of the external lip is convex or swollen as 

 it were on its middle. These seem to have no oper- 

 culum. 



Mitra, Lam. 



These have the aperture oblong, with some large 

 plaits on the pillar; the plails nearest to the spire 

 are the largest. The spire is generally pointed and 

 elongated : some of the species are beautifully 

 spotted with red on a white ground. Their animal 

 has a small foot ; the tentacles, of moderate length, 

 carrying the eyes on the side about the lower third : 

 there is also a siphon of moderate length, but there 

 is often a proboscis longer than the shell. 



Cancellaria, Lam. 



The last whorl of these is ventricose, the aperture 

 ample and round, and the internal lip forms a plate 

 upon the pillar. Their spire is projecting, pointed, 

 and their surface generally marked with cancella- 

 tions. (' Regne Animal.') 



In Cuvier's syslemthe Volutes are placed betvreen 

 Terebellum and Buccinum. 



Of the Gastropods now usually arranged under the 

 family Volutidae, M. de Blainvifle places Oliva next 

 to Terebellum. Ancillaria, Mitra, Voluta, and 

 Marginella come in succession after Oliva. All 

 these genera belong to M. de Blainville's third 

 family, Angyostomata. 



The| genus Oliva is divided by this zoologist into 

 the following sections : — 



A. Oval species, with the spire scarcely pro- 



jecting. 

 Example, Oliva undata. 



B. Species a little more elongated, with the 



spire more projecting 

 Example, Oliva lilterata. 



C. Species still more elongated (dlancees), with 



a very projecting spire. 

 Example, Oliva subulata. 



Ancillaria is divided by him into the followine 

 sections:— " 



A. Species with the spire sufficiently elevated 

 and bucciniforra. 

 Example, Ancillaria buccinoides. 

 _ B. Species with the spire almost null. 

 Example, Ancillaria cinnamomea. 

 Mitra is thus subdivided :— 

 A. Species elongated, turriculate, ribbed ; the 

 aperture very narrow, long, subcaiialicu- 



VOL. 11. 



late, with a plait. (Genus Minaret, 

 Monlf.) 

 Example, Mifra tamiata. 



B. Turriculate species, with large spiral whorls, 

 the aperture etfuse anteriorly. 



Example, Mitra episcopalis. 



C. Suboval species, with a shorter spire, ordi- 

 narily tuberculous. 



Example, Mitra microzonias. 



D. Oval species, with a very short spire, and 

 ordinarily trellised. 



Example, Mitra dactylus. 



Voluta consists of the following sections : — 



A. Elongated and subturriculate species. 

 Example, Voluta magellanica. 



B. Oval species more or less tuberculous. (Ge- 

 nus Turbinellus, Oken.) 



Example, Voluta imperialis. 



C. Oval species, coroneted or not. 

 Examples, Voluta fulva and Voluta nivosa. 



D. Oval, convex, ventricose species. (The 



Gondolieres, Cymbium, .Montf.) 

 Example, Voluta aethiopica. 

 Marginella is subdivided as follows : — 



A. Species with the aperture less long than the 



shell, and with the spire apparent. (Mar- 

 ginella, Lam.) 

 Example, Marginella faba. 



B. Species with the aperture as long as the 



shell, with no spire, and sometimes with 

 it sunk or umbilicated. I 



Example, Marginella lineala. 



C. Species which are still more involved ; the i 



aperture still narrower and longer ; folds 

 on the anterior part of the coluraellar lip ; 

 external lip delicate. 

 Example, Mitra monilis. 



M. Rang thus defines the family of Volutes, 

 v\hich he makes his eighth family, placing it be- I 

 tween the Enroules of Lamarck and the Sigareti, : 

 thus : — ] 



Animal furnished with triangular and flattened [ 

 tentacles, carrying the eyes on the hinder part of 

 them on the external side. [ 



Shell oblong, with a large aperture, and furnished 

 with plaits on the pillar. [ 



Marine. 



Genera Voluta and Cymbium. 

 ,The genus Voluta is thus defined : — 

 Animal oval ; the head distinct, furnished with ' 

 triangular and rather short tentacles, with sessile ' 

 eyes at their base, placed a little backwanls ; month 

 at the extremity oi a thick proboscis, furnished with i 

 hooked teeth ; foot very large, and spreading on all , 

 sides beyond the shell, folding longitudinally in | 

 order to re-enter it ; branchiae composed of two pec- 

 tinations. 



Shell oval, rather ventricose, with the spire rather 

 elevated and mammillated; aperture large, longer 

 than it is wide, notched anteriorly ; right lip arched ; 

 columella excavated, furnished with oblique plaits, 

 the anterior of which are the greatest. 



Following the example of Lamarck, M. Rang sub- 

 divides the genus into three groups: — 1, the Mu- 

 ricines — Voluta imperialis, &c. ; 2, the Musicales — 

 Voluta ebraea, &c. ; 3, the Fusoides — Voluta magni- 

 fica, &c. 



The genus Cymbium, Adans., M. Rang defines 

 thus : — 



Animal oval, very convex, hardly capable of re- 

 entering the shell, and spreading beyond it on all 

 sides with its foot, which is very large : head fur- 

 nished with a veil, whence issue two triangular and 

 flattened tentacles with eyes situated at the external 

 base of thoiC organs, a little towards their external 

 parts ; an advanced proboscis with the mouth at its 

 extremity. 



Shell oblong oval, very ventricose, rather delicate; 

 spire generally short and mammillated ; aperture 

 very large, longer than it^is wide, notched anteriorly ; 

 right lip arched, trenchant ; left or columellar Up 

 excavated, furnished a little anteriorly to its middle 

 with oblique plaits. 



1\L Rang remarks that this genus approaches 

 closely to the preceding, but, at the same time, he 

 stales that he could find no veil in the animal of the 

 Volutes, and that of Cymbium is evidently provided 

 with it. Upon this ground alone M. Rang separates 

 the genera ; for, if the animals were the same, the 

 species of Cymbium ought not to form more than a 

 subgenus of Voluta. M. Rang further observes 

 that Lamarck reckons fourteen species, a number 

 which, he thinks, ought to be reduced rather than 

 augmented, for the young individuals offer some- 

 times in their shell characters which disappear with 

 age. 



The genera Mifra, Ancillaria, Oliva, Volvaria, 

 and Marginella are arranged by M. Rang under the 

 family of Enroules, in company with Terebra, Cy- 

 piiva, and Ovula. 



We may now pass on to notice the Auger Shells, 

 les Taiicres of the French, constituting the genus 

 Terebellum of Lamarck. Cuvier places this group 



between the Ovulae and the Volutes, and M. de 

 Blainville between Conus and Oliva, while M. Rang 

 regards it as a form between Mitra and Ancillaria. 

 The shell is oblong with a narrow aperture, the 

 columellar border being simple, without folds or 

 wreaths, and slightly prolonged forwards. The 

 animal is not known. 



The species of the genus Terebellum are, as far 

 as is yet ascertained, very limited in number, one 

 living species only, we believe, being described, 

 while of Ibssil species M. Deshayes notices only 

 tv/o, and these belong to the tertiary strata. Li- 

 mited as this genus is, M. de Blainville divides it 

 into two sections, viz. into Terebellum proper, 

 which has the spire visible, and aperture shorter 

 than the shell, and into Seraphs, in which the spire 

 is nearly hidden by the rolling up of the whorls, 

 while the aperture is nearly as long as the shell. 



2748. — The Subul.'Ite Terebellum 

 (Terebellum subultitum). The shell is dehcate and 

 polished, of an elongated cylindrical figure, with 

 the spire acute. Four varieties are described : the 

 first is clouded wiih chestnut, four-banded, or with 

 the colour in patches ; the second, as in our pictorial 

 specimen, is ornamented with flexuous subspiral 

 or transversely oblique chestnut lines; the third is 

 thickly dotted with rich chestnut; the fourth 

 variety is entirely white. 



2749. — The Convoluted Terebellum 



(Terebellum convolutum). This species and another, 

 the T. fusiforme, are found in a fossil state only; 

 they occur in strata of the Eocene period of Lyell, 

 at Grignon, &c. 



The Terebellum convolutum belongs to the sub- 

 genus Seraphs, 



Family CYPR^EID^ (COWRIES). 



From the polish of their surface and the beauty 

 of their markings, the Cowries are in considerable 

 request in our island as chimney ornaments, and 

 indeed, as a writer well observes, they " have been 

 in demand among civilized and uncivilized nations 

 time out of memory." There is, in fact, a circum- 

 stance connected with the history of these shells 

 which proves the general interest taken in them, 

 and the value (formerly greater than at present) in 

 which they were estimated; we allude to the cir- 

 cumstance of their being used as coin, or, in other 

 words, of their constituting a portion at least of the 

 currency of several countries. In many parts of 

 India, in the Burmese empire, in Siam, &c., as well 

 as on the coast of Guinea, and in Dahomy, they 

 pass as money, though of course their value is 

 trifling compared with that of gold or silver, and 

 from their multiplication this value is on the de- 

 crease. We learn that in 1740 a rupee in Bengal 

 was worth two thousand four hundred cow'ries ; in 

 17G0, two thousand five hundred and sixty cowries ; 

 and at the present time, upwards of three thousand 

 two hundicd. Accounts are still sometimes kept in 

 the inferior departments of business in cowries, 

 which are current as long as they remain unbroken. 

 According to Kelly, four cowries make one gunda, 

 twenty gundas one punn, four punns one anna, four 

 annas one cahaun, and four cahauns one current 

 rupee, but the last proportion is variable. The 

 rupee is equal to 2s. 3d. of English money. 



At Scindy, on the Malabar coast, cowries are also 

 coin current. 



The cowries used as current coin are obtained 

 principally about the Philippine Islands, the Mal- 

 dive Islands, and the coast of Congo ; at these 

 different localities they constitute an article of 

 export. After the high tides, the women are occu- 

 pied for three days in filling baskets with the sand 

 with which the cowry shells are mixed ; these are 

 afterwaids separated from the sand, and heaped on 

 the shore, when the mollusks soon die; they are 

 then ready for the market. The species is the Cy- 

 praca moiieta of Linnaeus. 



The general characters of the adult shells of the 

 Cypraea may be thus summed up: — texture highly 

 porcellaneous; form oval or oblong, more or less 

 rounded or cylindrical, with a small and imbedded 

 spire ; outer lip involute ; aperture longitudinal, 

 nearly straight, toothed or plaited on each side, 

 with a channel or groove at each end. Very dif- 

 ferent, however, as we have previously remarked, is 

 the young shell from the adult, and decided are the 

 changes which it undergoes in its progress to ma- 

 turity. Mr. Gray thus describes the change : 

 " The shell alters its appearance considerably 

 according to the age of the individual, and exhibitis 

 three very distinct stages. In the young or first 

 stages, which are figured in the ' Encycl. Method.,' 

 t. 349, f. (t, b ; the ' Mus. Gotwald,' viii. t. 5.3, b, e; 

 C5, a,/; GG, a, c, the shell is generally smooth, of a 

 plain greyish colour, or with three transverse bands, 

 and the upper part of the m/ie/- lip is smooth and 

 convex, the lower part flat or concave; the outer 

 lip is thin. In the second stage the shell begins to 



2G2 



