STROMBUS Peruvianus. 
a 
Order Zoophaga. Family ? Strombide. 
Genus Strombus.—Lam. Sys. 7. 199. 
SpeciFic CHARACTER. 
Shell ponderous, nodulous, spire very small, depressed; outer lip 
above produced and attenuated, margin reflected; aperture 
striated. 
Strombus Peruvianus. Sw. in Phil. Mag. 62, p. 377. 
—_— Ee 
We first recorded this singular-shaped Strombus from a 
specimen sent from the Coasts of Peru. Others, from the 
opposite side of the American Isthmus, collected near Pa- 
nama, have more recently come into the possession of our 
. friend, the Rev. J. Bulwer, F.L.S. Its general form is not 
unlike §. gallus, but the spire is unusually depressed, and 
the aperture deeply striated : the upper surface is marked 
Py parallel grooves, and one of the nodules is particularly 
arge. 
in our last number we defined what appear to be the 
leading forms among the Strombii, from such characters 
as are exhibited by their shells. This mode of classifica- 
tion, we admit, is always attended with hazard; and should 
not be ventured upon without due precaution. ‘To attempt 
a natural arrangement of the higher groups, on such con- 
siderations alone, would be manifestly absurd. On the 
other hand, we think both principles may be carried too 
far : and that a system founded exclusively upon the animal 
would, in our present state of knowledge, be little less arti- 
ficial than another taken merely from the shell. We see, 
on every side, throughout Nature, the most beautiful and 
perfect adaptation of structure to use. The typical Mol- 
lusca, whether among the Acephala or Gasteropoda, appear 
to be testaceous ; and to exhibit a corresponding perfection 
in the structure of their coverings: one form passes into 
another by as gradual modifications of the shell, as could 
possibly be looked for in the nature of the animal. We 
have attempted to exemplify this among the Unionida and 
the Olive. We shall now examine the Strombii with re- 
ference to the same object. 
** Les Aileés,”’ observes Lamarck, “ constituent une fa- 
Strombus. Pl. 1. 
