SERPULA. CREEPER. 155 



15. Serpula Arundo. Reed Creeper. 



Shell opake, yellowish-white, cylindrical but very gra- 

 dually tapering to a point, finely striate circularly, fixed 

 at the smaller end only for the space of about half an inch, 

 and projecting forwards in a more or less straight or undu- 

 lating manner, sometimes but seldom a little curved or 

 twisted : length often seven or eight inches -, breadth at 

 the larger end hardly a quarter of an inch. 



This reed-like species, so different in its solitary and pe- 

 culiar manner of growth, being fixed at the very extremity 

 only, and probably stretching out in an horizontal direc- 

 tion, is not uncommonly dredged up on the Devonshire 

 coast, and is perhaps an inhabitant of quiet waters, shel- 

 tered by rocks and subject to little agitation, whence it 

 may be occasionally broken or torn off. The point by which 

 it is fixed is strongly marked by the surface being flattened 

 on the side. v. v. 



C. Detached, and curved or twisted, 16 to 20. 



16. Serpula Seminulum. Grain-like Creeper. 

 Walker, f. 1 Dorset Cat. pi. 19. f.31. 



Serpula ovalis. Linn. Trans, v. pi. 1. f. 28 to 30. 



Shell glossy white or with a ferruginous tinge, opake, 

 flat, oval, composed of three and rarely four compartments ; 

 the interior one varying much in size and shape, generally 

 oval, sometimes linear, or more or less inclining to orbicu- 

 lar ; the outer ones defined by a depressed line, and trans- 

 versely wrinkled: aperture compressed, half-moon shaped : 

 diameter the tenth of an inch. 



In fine sand. v. v. 



17. Serpula subrotunda. Roundish Creeper. 

 Walker, f. 4. 



Shell glossy white, opake, rather flat, nearly orbicular, 

 with three compartments ; the middle one raised above the 

 others on the upper side, flat on the under side : aperture 

 small, angular, edged with yellow when fresh : diameter 

 the tenth of an inch. 



In fine sand. v. v. 



18. Serpula oblonga. Oblong Creeper. 



Montagu, pi. 14. f. 9, 



Shell 



