proposed n&ao Genus Cyprcecassis. 367 



The next point to which I solicit your attention is Mr. 

 Stutchbury's assertion, that " the animal of the true Cassides 

 completes the mouth in the young shells, at each separate period 

 of growth, as perfectly as in the most mature; while, on the 

 contrary, the genus before us (namely, Cyprsecassis) never 

 forms or completes its outer lip but once during its life ; con- 

 sequently, it is destitute of varices." Here I would observe, 

 that, supposing this statement to be correct, the circumstance 

 cannot be taken as of sufficient value to constitute a specific, 

 much less a generic, character : the reasons for which I will 

 now endeavour to explain. In the first place, then, I possess 

 three specimens of a common species of Cassis (the glauca of 

 Lam.), all of which appear to have arrived at the same period 

 of growth, having each formed exactly seven volutions. Now, 

 one of these three individuals has formed one varix, a second 

 has formed tivo, and the third Jour, varices; consequently, if 

 Mr. Stutchbury's observation be true, these three specimens 

 form as many distinct genera, and yet I am quite certain that 

 no naturalist would venture to consider them other than 

 variations of the same species. Secondly, among four or five 

 specimens of what Mr. Stutchbury calls Cyprsecassis Testicu- 

 lus, which I possess, one has Jour distinct varices, all having 

 the dark-coloured spots usually so conspicuous on the re- 

 flected edge of the varix in this species. This specimen, then, 

 must belong to Cassis, and not to Cyprsecassis; although no one 

 will venture to doubt its being truly a variation of C. Testi- 

 culus ; or, Mr. Stutchbury's distinction is ill-founded. Thirdly, 

 I possess several specimens of what Mr. Stutchbury names 

 Cyprsecassis coarctata, giving as a synonyme Cassis coarctata 

 Valenciennes. In connexion with this species, there are two 

 facts of which Mr. Stutchbury does not seem to be aware : one 

 (which is really unimportant) is, that the specific name was 

 given to it in 1825, by myself, in the Tanhcrville Catalogue, 

 Appendix, p. xxi. (I suppose he has been misled by Kiener); 

 the other (a fact of some moment) is, that the outer lip of this 

 is never reflected, as it is in rufa, Testiculus, &c. Among my 

 specimens is one which has formed tivo varices ; but, since the 

 outer lip is never reflected in this species, the first formed 

 varix is not prominent, though easily distinguishable by the 

 light colour and raised edge. Fourthly, I have an operculum, 

 given me by Mr. Cuming, soon after his arrival in England from 

 South America, which Mr. Cuming told me he had himself 

 detached from the posterior part of the foot of the animal of 

 C. coarctata. Here are, therefore, two facts opposed to Mr. 

 Stutchbury's conclusions as regards this species. This leads 

 to my next observation, which relates to the existence, or non- 



