VOLUTA .bullata. 
Bulla-shaped Volute. 
eee 
Generic Cnaracter.—Zool. Ill. 1 Series, pl. 161. 
SpPEcIFIC CHARACTER. 
Shell oval, smooth, fulvous, marked by zigzac darker lines; spire 
short, papillary ; outer lip ascending towards the spire; base 
of the pillar with two strong plaits. 
Mus. D. Broderip. 
en 
Among the shells which formed part of the African Museum, 
exhibited and finally sold in London some few years back, 
was a single specimen of this new and curious Volute. 
Worn and battered by the friction of the waves, it still 
retained its colour and markings sufficiently distinct to 
admit of a tolerably accurate delineation. The only part 
we have ventured to restore is the contour of the outer lip, 
which we have adapted to the lines of growth. The middle 
figure represents the shell in its broken state; and this 
clearly shews the ascending of the lip towards the spire, in 
the same manner as in V. lapponica. 
The affinities which are suggested by the peculiar struc- 
ture of this shell, are curious. In its general shape, and in 
the number of its plaits, it is obviously allied to Voluta 
Nucleus, harpa ; lyreformis, &c., where the two last plaits 
of the pillar are very thick, and those above either small or 
evanescent ; but from such, our shell differs materially by 
being quite smooth, and in having a short obtuse spire. We 
do not believe that this part has received much injury. The 
suture is perfect to the very end: further evidence may be 
_ drawn from the extreme narrowness of the third spiral 
whorl; a formation which only belongs to papillary spired 
shells. This character, joined with the smoothness and 
size of the body whorl, shews a closer approximation to 
the Melon shells, than to any other division of the group. 
Three or four intermediate forms are alone wanting to com- 
plete the double series. 
Mr. Broderip, who is in possession of this shell, has 
recently arranged the Lamarkian Volutz into very natural 
groups; two of which are considered as holding the rank 
of genera. 
Voluta Pl. 1, 
