84 UNIVALVES. 



Another very distinct natural group of this 

 genus consists of shells called Needle Buc- 

 cina,* a term which indicates their subu- 

 late form. They possess the characteristic 

 mark of the genus in the notch of the aperture 

 slanting towards the left, though their pointed 

 elongated shape gives them a very different ap- 

 pearance to that of the Buccina in general. They 

 are now arranged in a genus called Terebra. 



The name given to this genus is derived from 

 the Latin buccina, a trumpet, and it is very proba- 

 ble that these shells furnished the first idea of that 

 instrument, for if the apex be pierced or broken 

 off, a variety of sounds may be produced by 

 blowing into it. Triton, the fabled trumpeter of 

 Neptune, is represented with one of these shells 

 in his hand, when he is supposed to be calling up 

 the river deities to attend their monarch. This 

 kind of trumpet is still used by the Italian 

 herdsmen to direct the movements of their cattle. 

 In a part of Wales also the farmers summon 

 their labourers in a similar manner, and the 

 deep and sonorous notes thus produced, breaking 

 in upon the silence of those mountainous districts 

 have a very striking effect. In Palestine the 

 bee masters enticed their bees with a whistle 

 made by means of some shell, (probably a Buc- 

 cinum) and led them from meadow to meadow 

 to collect their store of sweets. Isaiah seems to 

 refer to this custom when he prophecies the con- 



* Plate III. fig. 4. 



