COLUMELLARIA. MOLLUSCA. COLUMBELLA. 313 



Bay. Professor Adams remarks, that they are found associated, 

 ahiiost without exception, with Cerithium Sayi, but much less 

 abundant. In spring they are found upon the surface of the sand. 

 Their station, however, is a few feet below low-water mark, 

 clinging to stones, sea-weed, and other shells. 



The principal variations arise from the greater or less elongation of 

 the spire, and from the different proportions of the brown and white 

 coloring ; sometimes the shell is almost entirely brown, and at others 

 there is scarcely enough brown to define the crescentic spots. This 

 belongs also to the Columbella-formed Buccina. 



Mr. Say describes the animal as follows ; " pale-whitish, foot linear, 

 nearly as long as the shell, acute behind, hardly larger than the respi- 

 ratory trunk, truncate before ; trunk more than half as long as the 

 shell, obtuse at tip, with a brown annulation near the tip, and another 

 near the base ; tentacula short, cylindrical, annulate with blackish on 

 the middle ; eyes black, placed on the base of the tentacula." 



This will most likely prove to be a Columbella. 



Family COLUMELLARIJl, Lam. 



JVo canal at the base of the aperture, but a more or less distinct notch ; 

 pillar plaited. 



GexVus columbella, Lam. 



Shell oval, spire short, pillar plaited ; outer lip thickened inter- 

 nally, narrowing the aperture. 



Columbe'lla ava'ra. 



Shell small, elongated-ovate, pointed, of various shades of brown 

 reticulated with white, with numerous smooth ribs lengthwise, and 

 revolving lines between them. 



Figure 197. 



State Coll., No. 1. Soc. Cab., No. 673. 



Columbella avara, Say; Journ. Jicad. Nat. S'c. , ii. 230. Adams; Bost. Journ. 

 Nat. Hist., ii. 363. 



Shell small, ovate-conic, elevated, strong, of a hght straw- 

 color, finely reticulated or blotched with various shades of reddish- 

 40 



