2 GENUS BUCCINUM. 



This genus, originally established by Linnaeus, comprised so 

 large a number of shells, and so intimately allied to each other, 

 that the authors who first attempted to separate and class them, 

 could not do it without difficulty. Bruguiere was the first to be- 

 gin a great reformation in this genus ; but remaining incom- 

 plete, his work was left to be finished by Lamarck ; and it is to 

 that illustrious philosopher, always clear and exact in his classi- 

 fication, that we finally owe the accurate arrangement of the 

 shells of the genus which we are about to describe. He dis- 

 tributed a great number of them into different genera ; the re- 

 mainder still presented difficult distinctions. Lamarck, in his 

 examination, has had reference only to the shell, and especially 

 to the very distinct emargination, without canal, at its base, 

 which is particularly remarkable. Lamarck, whose comprehen- 

 sive and lucid glance so readily seized upon the mutual rela- 

 tions of genera to each other, found the NASSA and the BUCCI- 

 NUM so similar, that he has reunited them in his last work, 

 establishing only a simple division between them. 



Under the genus NASSA are comprehended species generally 

 rather small, the aperture more rounded, having a wide and 

 flattened callosity upon the columella, sometimes almost entirely 

 covering the shell. Lately, M. Q,uoy has studied the particular 

 conformation of the animals of the NASS^:, that is to say, their 

 foot, ear-shaped before, forked behind, and their small operculum 

 often ear-shaped ; and he thought that they should be united into 

 a separate division, and even form a new genus. He further 

 rests this opinion upon another observation worthy attention, 

 the sprightliness of their motions ; but until all the animals of 

 the NASS.E and BUCCINA shall be well known, it will be difficult 

 to establish accurately this division, and to determine what 

 shells shall remain among the true BUCCINA. The NASS^E have 

 such striking relations to these in their organization, and par- 

 ticularly in the form of their shell, that we think it impossi- 

 ble, until new observations shall be found to confirm the opinion 

 of Quoy, not to follow the order established by Lamarck. The 

 species of this genus run into each other in so insensible a man- 

 ner, that we have been unable to form well-defined groups 

 among them. 



