BUCCINUM WHELK. 81 



VOLUTA Pyrum. 



TURNIP VOLUTA. 



Specific Character. Shell pear-shaped, ponde- 

 rous, smooth, canaliculated, striated, and slightly 

 nodulous transversely; spire acute; columellar 

 lip with three plaits; colour dirty white; the 

 young shells are yellowish, and have irregular 

 transverse rows of dark spots. The size of the 

 perfect shell is about five inches long, and about 

 half as broad. 



The reversed shells of this species are held 

 sacred in China, where a great price is given for 

 them ; they are kept in pagodas by the priests, 

 who on certain occasions administer medicine to 

 the sick out of them, they also use them to anoint 

 the Emperor at his ^coronation. They are often 

 curiously ornamented with carvings, executed 

 by the Indians, who use them for drinking cups. 



Genus. BUCCINUM.* PZwraZ, Buccina. 



WHELK. 



Generic Character. Shell univalve, spirally 

 convoluted, frequently canaliculated ; form gib- 



* Plate III. % 1, 2, 3, 4. 

 G 



