80 LESSON XI. 



GENUS. VOLUTA. * 



VOLUTE OR WREATH. 



Generic character. Shell univalve, spirally 

 convoluted, shape suboval ; aperture narrow, 

 longitudinal, generally effuse at the base ; having 

 sometimes a dorsal notch ; columella'has oblique 

 plaits, varying in size and number. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE SHELL AND ITS 

 INHABITANT. 



This genus contains shells highly valued for 

 their variety, the beauty of their colours, and the 

 brightness of their natural polish. They vary 

 considerably in their appearance. Some have 

 the aperture entire ; in others it is effuse, termi- 

 nated by a notch, or produced into a canal ; the 

 distinctive mark however by which they may be 

 immediately recognised is the plicatedf columel- 

 lar lip. It is supposed that the animals inhabi- 

 ting the Volutes, must differ materially as well as 

 the shells, since the abode of the mollusca is in- 

 variably suited to their conformation and habits. 

 There are but very few British species of this 

 genus, and even these are doubtful. 



The term Voluta signifies rolled up cylindri- 

 cally. 



One large family has been separated by mo- 

 dern conchclogists from the Volutes, and formed 

 into a distinct genus called Oliva, composed 



* Plate II. fig. 10 11. f Derived from Latin, plica, a fold. 



