Gasteropoda. - 



-MOLLUSCA.- 



-MURICID.E. 



325 



the eyes, tentacula, and operculum of the animal are 

 very distinct, aud the little shell which is of a uniform 

 tlesh colour has three or four whirls, and is fully four 

 Hnes in length. 



The shells of the two large genera just described, 

 Murex and Fusus, have their canal and the siphon of 

 the animal produced, and the species are often very 

 large and bear amongst themselves a general resem- 

 blance ; there are others, however, which are for tlie 

 most part of small size, have the siphon of the animal 

 recurved, and the canal of the shell very short aud 

 recurved, or reduced to a notch. A great many of the 

 species belonging to this group have been described by 

 authors as a species of Buccinum. The structure of the 

 animals, however, their dentition, and the form of the 

 operculum, are sufficient to remove them from the 

 Buccinidce, and connect them intimately with the large 

 family Murlcidce. 



Genus Pisania. — In this genus the shells are ovate 

 and furnished with rudimentary varices, and have an 

 ovate month, the inner lip with a few slight plaits in 

 front, and the outer lip crenulated. The spire is conic, 

 generally waved by the indistinct varices, and the 

 ovate, acute operculum has the edge entire. The 

 species of Pimmia are numerous, upwards of one 

 hundred recent shells having been referred to it, natives 

 uf the warm seas of the West Indies, Africa, India, tlie 

 I'hilippine islands, and those in the south seas. Western 

 America, &c. 



Genus Columbella.— The shells of this genus are 

 small, obovate or fusiform, have a long, narrow aperture, 

 and the outer lip always thickejied, especially towards 

 the middle of its length. The inner lip is crenulated, 

 the canal very short and curved, and the whole shell is 

 generally covered with a thick epidermis. In the true 

 Culumbellce the operculum is ovate, acute, with the 

 nucleus apical and sub-acute, and the edge entire ; but 

 in many species which have generally been described 

 as belonging to this genus, this appendage is like that 

 of the Purpura, or ovate, with the nucleus on the 

 middle of the outer edge. These form the genus 

 Xitich-Ua and are now placed amongst the BuccinidcE. 

 The CulumbeUm are all marine shells, prettily marked, 

 and are found upon rocks or congregating about stones 

 in shallow water. They are generally found abundantly 

 upon the fuci which cover the rocks, attracted there 

 no doubt by the numerous animals that take shelter 

 amongst the leaves of these marine plants. The recent 

 species of Culumhella and Nitiddla which have been 

 described, amount to nearly two Imndred ; they inhabit 

 the Mediterranean, the seas of the West Indies, India, 

 California, and the Gallapagos islands. The genera 

 Lalrwiciilus and Cominella axe two others of the short 

 canal group. 



Genus Latrunculus. — The species of this genus 

 were formerly described as Ebumce. Tin's latter geims 

 is now, however, restricted to those highly polished 

 shells, which like Ancillaria, have their surface covered 

 with an enamel coat, and will be found like that genus 

 among the Olividce. In Latrunculus the shell is ovate, 

 and the whirls smooth and flattened behind, and 

 Licuerally covered with a thin brown epidermis. The 

 animals, as observed by Mr. A. Adams during the 



voyage of the Samarang, are deliberate in their move- 

 ments, thrusting out their tentacula and crawling along 

 witli a slow and measured pace. They are rapid, how- 

 ever, and quick, when alarmed, in perceiving their 

 enemy, and immediately retract their soft parts within 

 the shell. Living Latrunculi are very common in the 

 China Sea. " They generally live in a muddy bottom 

 and in about fourteen fathoms of water. The Chinese 

 fishermen along the coast frequently bring them up in 

 their nets together with several crustaceans ; and I 

 have seen them carefully set them apart in the stern of 

 their craft, as if for the purpose of being eaten." — ■ 

 {Adams.) 



Genus Cominella. — In this genus the shell is 

 smooth, without rudimentary varices ; like that ot the 

 genus Buccinum (bucciniform) in shape. The spire is 

 short and acute, the last whirl large and ventricose, 

 someiimes irregular, and covered with an epidermis. 

 The species have usually been confounded with 

 Buccinum and Purpura. The operculum, however, 

 which is ovate, acute, with the nucleus sub-apical, will 

 distinguish them from both of these genera. 



The two genera, Bullia and Nassa, have the short 

 canal and siphon of these three last mentioned genera, 

 but the ovate, acute, operculum with its apical nucleus, 

 is remarkable from its being serrated on the outer edge. 

 The foot of the animal in both of them is nicked or 

 bifid behind. 



Gi;nu.s Bullia. — In Bullia the foot of the animal 

 is large, square shaped and expanded ; the tentacles 

 are long and slender, but the creature is totally desti- 

 tute of eyes. The shell is ovate or turreted, the whirls 

 smooth, and the aperture oval. It is particularly 

 characterized by having a raised band of enamel round 

 the sutures of the whirls, which is formed by the hinder 

 part of the inner lip of the shell extending beyond the 

 mouth. According to the observations of M. Quoy, 

 the animal of the Bullias has the faculty of absorbing 

 through the pores of its foot, a great quantity of water, 

 which it ejects when disturbed in various directions ; 

 it is caught by baiting lines with bits of flesh. The 

 species are few in number, and are for the most part 

 natives of Africa. 



Genus Na.^sa. — In Nunsa the foot is moderate, 

 truncated and tentaculated in front, and bifurcated at 

 its posterior extremity. The eyes are distinct and are 

 placed on the middle of the tentacles. The shell is 

 ovate, with a short spire, and convex, waved, rarely 

 variced whirls. The species are numerous, world-wide 

 in their distribution, and are found from low watei' to 

 fifty fathoms. They are extremely active and vivacious 

 in their movements, and are very destructive to small 

 bivalves, through whose shell they drill small holes to 

 enable them to reach the inhabitants. The egg cases or 

 vesicles are small, ovate, acute, and are found attached 

 in rows to sea-weeds, corallines, &c. 



Genus Phds. — This genus contains a considerab'e 

 number of species, wliich in their shell resemble Nasste. 

 The shell is cancellated, of an ovate form or turreted, 

 and the outer lip is striated internally with a slight sinus 

 near the canal. The animals dilTcr in having the hind 

 part of the foot ending in a tapering filament instead of 

 being bifurcated, and the operculum is ovate, with a 



