SABELLA. 133 



GENUS. -SABELLA. 



SABELLA. 



Generic character. Shell tubular, composed 

 of sandy or calcareous particles, and sometimes 

 fragments of shells agglutinated together, and 

 united to a membranaceous sheath by a cement. 







OBSERVATIONS ON THE SHELL AND ITS 

 INHABITANT. 



This genus is now very generally dismissed 

 from the class of Testaceous Mollusca, as the 

 tubes in; which the animals are enclosed are 

 more or less composed of extraneous matter, 

 and not of a testaceous secretion prepared by the 

 animal from its own body, and forming a com- 

 pact solid substance, which is the true character 

 of a shell. Its best claim to retain its position, 

 is, that the mould to which the various particles 

 are attached, is really a calcareous and not an 

 animal substance. The name of the genus is 

 taken from the Latin, sabulum, fine gravel or 

 sand, of which material their habitations most 

 usually consist. 



