BUCCINUM. 16 1 



and the type, I think, has been destroyed by fire ; if this is so., it 

 will probably never be identified with certainty. 



C. GUALTIERIANUS, Kiener. PI. 14, fig. 304. 



This is said to be a well-grown specimen of Purpura Nassoides, 

 Quoy and Gaimard, but, unless Kiener's description and figure 

 are both at fault, he is very wrong in referring it to a species 

 which differs so materially from his own in having the outer lip 

 thickened and dentate within. P. Nassoides is a Ricinula and 

 = E. chaidea (See Vol. II, p. 187), whilst Gualtierianus is 

 probably a Cantharus and certainly very closely allied in form 

 and sculpture to C.fumosus, Dillw. 



Genus BTJCCINTJM, Linnaeus. 



The group of shells to which the generic name Buccinum was 

 originally applied, a century ago, by Linne, has been found by 

 subsequent investigation to contain many heterogeneous forms, 

 and has consequently been greatly subdivided. The name has 

 been retained for the genus typified by Buccinum undatum, by 

 common consent, and, I believe, in accordance with the best 

 rules of nomenclature. It is true that Linnets first species that 

 which is to be selected, as in cases where no type is distinctly 

 specified is a Dolium. But in the case of Linne's genera, he 

 must be considered to have indirectly specified the type, as he 

 has expressly stated that, in his view, where it becomes necessary 

 to divide a group, formerly supposed to be one genus, the original 

 name must be retained for the subdivision containing the most 

 common species ; in other words, that the most common species 

 must be considered as the type of its genus. And he -must 

 therefore have regarded the undatum, the most common of all 

 his Buccinums, as the type of the genus. 



The Scandinavian naturalists have generally retained the name 

 Tritonium of Miiller for this genus, but Linne's name has priority 

 by many years. Tritonium, as proposed, and as frequently used 

 since, would include both the Murex and the Buccinum of Linne*. 



The genus is too well known to require particular description 

 here, and few points require special remark. Among the spiral 

 grooves and striae or ridges with which the shell is always more 



