ON THE ANATOMY OF MELONGENA MELONGBNA. 369. 



Some Points in the Anatomy of Melongena melongena. By J. 

 Henry Vanstone, Royal College of Science, S. Kensington. 

 (Communicated by Prof, Gr. B. Howes, P.L.S.) 

 [Eead 16th March, 1893.] 

 (Plate XXVITI.) 



The genus to which this Grasteropod belongs was founded by 

 Schumacher in 1817 as a refuge for certain waifs from other 

 genera. The shells of the genus have often been figured and 

 described under the names of Gassidula, Mureoc melongena, 

 Pyrula melongena, P. tuha, and P. galeodes. The structure of the 

 animal, however, appears to have been ignored (so far as I have 

 been able to ascertain) by all writers except the French con- 

 ehologist Souleyet*. 



This naturalist, more than forty years ago, gave an account of 

 the anatomy of Pyrula tuba, which is now placed in the genus 

 Melongena. On reference to the description and figures it will be 

 seen that M. tuha agrees in the main with the species now under 

 consideration f. 



Concerning the viscera Souleyet rightly remarks that " I'appa- 

 reil digestif ofire le plus grand analogue avee celui des Buccins, 

 des Pourpes," and as in these Prosobranchs there is present 

 a long proboscis which, when retracted, is folded upon itself 

 (PI. XXVIII. fig. 2 h). The radula, in common with that of other 

 members of the Turbinellidae, bears teeth in three series — a 

 central tricuspid series and two lateral bicuspid rows. 



The oesophagus {oe', figs. 1-2) is long and narrow and through- 

 out its distal half its internal walls are longitudinally plicated 

 (a?', fig. 4), as is the case in Pteroceras and certain allied forms. 

 Souleyet remarks that in Melongena tula the oesophagus, at first 

 of small calibre, afterwards became dilated and " cette seconde 

 partie de I'oesophage forme une sorte de prolongement caecal;" but 

 I have not observed either of these characters in M. melongena. 



The stomach, which is remarkable in several points, lies (s^., 

 fig. 1) packed away between the liver {Iv.) and genital gland {g.g.) 

 in the topmost whorls of the shell, and is generally left behind 

 on the extraction of the animal. This organ is very small in 



* Souleyet, ' Voyage de la Bonite,' ii. 1852, p. 614. 



t Unfortunately the specimens at my disposal had been imperfectly preserved, 

 and consequently I have been compelled to confine my attention to certain parts 

 of the alimentary canal. 



