ATICULA. 79 



as far north as Britain and south as Tierra del Fuego, The 

 Auriculae formed a part of the genus Voluta of Linnseus, 

 f. 297. A. Judffi, f 298. A. Coniformis, PI. xiv. 



AUEICULATED. Some bivalve shells, such as Pecten, fig. 

 171, 1 72, have a flat, broad, somewhat triangular appendage on 

 one or both sides of the umbones, called an auricle, or little ear. 

 If on one side only, they are said to be uni-auriculated ; if on 

 both, they are said to be bi-auriculated. 



AUEICULACEA. Bl. The second family of the order Pulmo- 

 branchiata, thus described : " shell thick, solid ; aperture more 

 or less oval, always large, rounded anteriorly, and contracted by 

 teeth or folds on the columella." This family is included in the 

 genus Yoluta of Linnaeus, on account of the plaited columeUar 

 lip, a character by which that heterogenous assemblage of shells 

 is distinguished. It forms part of the family of Colimacea, Lam. 

 from which they differ not only in general form, but also in the 

 fact of the animals being partly amphibious, always living 

 (according to De Blainville) on the sea shore, and being occa- 

 sionally covered with water for a short time. It contains the 

 genera Pedipes, Auricula, PyramideUa. 



AUEIPERA. Blainville. Otion, Auct. 



AUEIPOEM. (Prom Auris, an earj/orma, shape.) Ex. Haliotis, 

 fig. 338. 



AUEISCALPIUM. Megerle, 1811. Anatina, Lam. 1812. La- 

 ternula, Bolton, 1798. 



AYICITLA. Lam. (Prom Avis, a bird.) Fam. MaUacea, Lam. 

 Margaritacea, Bl. — Descr. Inequivalve, inequilateral, foliaceous, 

 subquadrate, oblique, pearly ; hinge rectilinear, lengthened into 

 auricular appendages, with a small indistinct tooth in each valve, 

 an elongated, marginal, ligamentiferous area, and an hiatus in 

 the left valve, for the passage of a byssus; one circular muscular 

 impression, near the centre of each valve, with a series of smaller 

 ones arranged in a line towards the umbones. — Obs. The Melea- 

 griuae of Lamarck, Margaritiferse, Schum. included in this de- 

 scription, consist of the more rounded species, and do not pre- 

 sent the elegant obliqidty of form, nor the wing-like auricles 



