Rev. M. J. Berkeley S: Mr. Hoffman on Ceril/iiumASl 



Art. LIX. j/ description of llie anatomical structure of Ce- 

 rit Ilium Tflescopiti -/? , Bnig. By the Rev. M . J . B k a K li le v, 

 A.M., and C il. Hoffman, E^q. 



The o^enus Cerithium is placed by Lamarck at the beginning of the 

 first section Canaliferes of his Tiachelipodes Zoophages, immediately 

 after Turritelia, which closes the section Trachelipodes Phytiphayes. 

 The characters of the animal are evidently taken from Adanson, who 

 informs us that one of the species lives in the sand amongst grass and 

 mangroves, feeding on " scolopendres" and other small marine worms. 

 Cuvier places it immediately before Mare.x, after Purpura, Cassis 

 and Terebra. This would imply a structure of the parts of the mouth 

 adapted for boring shells, according to the known habits of Murex and 

 certain allied genera. But a single glance at Adanson's figure is suffi- 

 cient for conviction that the animal is much more nearly allied to 

 the Trochoides ; and that Lamarck judged rightly according to the 

 evidence before him in placing it on the confines of his two great classes. 

 And this is corroborated by the little additional information in the Manuel 

 des Mollusques of M. Sander Rang, who describes the mouth as toothless 

 but furnished with a small tongue. 



In this state of information with regard to the habits and organization of 

 the genus Cerithium, it was most 'gratifying to receive a living specimen of 

 Cerithium TeJe^copium from Mr. G. B. Sowerby, as a prospect was 

 offered of coming to son)e satisfactory decision as to the proper situation 

 of the genus ; though the species is one, which is not so nearly related 

 as some others to the individual whose animal is figured by Adanson, 

 and is indeed made a subgenus of Trochus after De Ferussac by Sander 

 Rang. 



Though placed in fresh sea water, the utmost care being taken to 

 renew it frequently, and all kind of marine substances which could be 

 procured supplied for food, it refused all nourishment, contenting itself 

 with simply walking over them, and in so doing touching them with its 

 proboscis. It was exceedingly shy, so that with great difficulty 

 a drawing was obtained of the animal exserted. As it declined all nou- 



