68 
MOLLUSCA, 
the apertvire is narrow, and its anterior edge ascends to the top of the 
spire, which is excessively short. There is one plicaa;, or several, at 
the foot of the columella. The lustre and whiteness of this shell are 
such, that on some coasts it is used for making necklaces * * * § . A small 
fossil species is found in the vicinity of Paris f. In the true Volutae 
or the 
VoLUTA, Lam. 
The aperture is ample, and the columella marked with large plicce, 
the one furthest from the sj)ire being tlie largest. The degi-ee of 
projection in the spire varies greatly. 
In some of them, Cymbium, Montf. ; Cymba, Sowerb., the last 
whorl is ventricose ; the animal has a large, thick and lieshy foot, and 
a veil on the head, from the sides of which issiie the tentacula. The 
eyes are on this same veil outside of the tentacula. The proboscis is 
tolerably long, and there is an appendage on each side of the base of 
tlie siphon. They attain a large size, and many of them arc extremely 
beautiful +. 
In others, Voluta, Montf., the last whorl is conical, becoming 
narrower at the extremity opposite to the spire§. The foot of the 
animal is not so large as that of the preceding ones ; their shells are 
frequently remarkable for tlie beauty of their coloiirs or their ar- 
rangement. 
Marginella, Lam. 
•» 
Form of the shell, similar to that of a true Voluta; but tlie external 
margin of tlie aperture is tumid ; the emargination is but slightly 
marked. The foot of the animal, according to Adanson, is very 
large, and has no operculum. By turning up the lobes of its mantle 
it partly covers the shell. The eyes are on the external side of the 
base of its tentacula |1. 
M. de Lamarck also distinguishes the Colombella, in which the 
plicai are numerous, and the varix of the external margin is inflated 
in the middle^ It appears that the operculum is wanting. 
• Volv. monilis, L. ; Volv. triticea, Lam., &c. 
-f- Folvariabullo'ides, Lam., Encyc. Metliod., pi. .384, f. 4. 
X Volv, ecthiopica, List,, 797, 4 ; — V. cpmbiiim, 796, 3, 800, 7 ; — T'. oUa, 794, 1 ; 
V. Nepiuni, 802, 8; — V. navicula, 795,2; — V. papillaris, rich., Ill, Ixiv, 9; — 
V. indica. Martini, III, Ixxii, 772, 77-3 ; genus Melo, Sowerb., Gen. of Shells, No. 
XXVIII ; — cijmhiola, Chemn., X, cxlviii ; 1385, 1386 ; — V. preeputiwn, List., 798, 
1 ; — V. spectibilis, Davila, I, viii, S. 
§ Voluta musica, List., 805, 14, 806, 15 ; — V. scapha, 799, 6; — V. vespertilio, 
807, 16, 808, 17 ; — V. hoebrea, 809, 18; — V. vexillum, Martini, III, exx, 1098; — 
V.flaricans, Tb., xcv, 922, 923 ;—V. undulata, Lara., Ann. du Mus., &c. For the 
other species consult the Memoir of M. Ilroderip, Zool. Journ., April 1825. 
II Voluta glabella, Adans., IV, genus, X, 1 ; — Voluta faba, Ib., 2 ; — Vol. prunum, 
Ib,, 3 ; — Vol. persicula, Ib., 4, and all pi. xlii, vol. II, of Martini ; — Vol. marginaia. 
Born., IX, 5, 6. 
^ Voluta mei-catoria. List., 824, 43 ; — Vol. rustica. List., 824, 44 ; — Vol. mendi- 
caria, and nearly all plate xliv of Martini, vol. II ; — Col. strornhiformis ; — Vol. labi- 
Ota ; — Vol. punctata, tkc., Sowerb., Gen. of Shells, No. IX. 
