TRITONIDJE. 123 



protect the lip during a season of rest, and it would be extremely 

 interesting if it could be discovered what length of time ordi- 

 narily elapses between the formation or deposit of the varix and 

 the renewal of the operation of growth." — Conch. Icon.., vol. ii, 

 Triton, 1844. 



Mr. Arthur Adams mentions the adaptation of the Trumpet- 

 shell ( T. tritonis) to the purposes of a tea-kettle by the inhabitants 

 of the Typinsan archipelago, near the Loo-Choo Islands ; the 

 operculum forming the lid, the canal answering the purpose of a 

 spout, and the shell suspended by a wooden hook over the fire. 

 Mr. Adams says that this rude vessel was adopted se\eral times 

 for the convenience of his party, and answered its purpose 

 admirably. — Narrative Voy. Samarang., i, 89. 



Madame Power found T. nodifenis capable of reproducing 

 amputated tentacles, etc. The Silicians and Algerians eat this 

 mollusk and esteem it a delicacy. At Nice, the fishermen and 

 country people make a hole in the apex of the spire and use the 

 shell as a trumpet which, Veranj^ remarks, produces a braying 

 sound. It is an indispensable instrument in the old-fashioned 

 charivari, which he describes as a deafening serenade to signalize 

 the marriages of ill-assorted or unpopular couples. 



The species of Triton being numerous, several attempts have 

 been made to separate them into generic or subgeneric groups ; 

 the most successful being the arrangement of Messrs. H. and A. 

 Adams. Two of these groups, however, Simpulum and Cabestana, 

 are so closely related that I think Kobelt has very judiciously 

 united them. Priene is the connecting form approximating 

 Triton and Ranella ; whilst in the latter genus species of the 

 group Lampas recall Triton. 



SIMPULUM, Klein. Shell fusiform, whorls nodosely ribbed ; 

 outer lip thick, plicate-dentate internally. Operculum with apical 

 nucleus. T. chlorostomus, Lam. (xlvi, 55). 



CYMATiuM, Bolten. Whorls triangular ; aperture longer than 

 the spire ; outer lip dentated internally. Operculum with apical 

 nucleus. T. tigrinus, Brod. (xlvi, 56). 



GUTTURNiUM, Klein. Shell pyriform, subturreted, canal long, 

 narrow. Operculum with submarginal initial point, near the 

 middle of the inner margin. T. cynocephalus, Lam. (xlvi, 5T). 



The shells of this group possess a peculiar polished, porcel- 

 lanous outer and inner lip, the latter reflected over the columella, 

 together with a short, rounded pyriform body and lengthened, 

 narrow, more or less twisted canal. 



EPiDROMUS, Klein. Shell with long, generally curved spire ; 

 aperture small and canal very short. Operculum triangular, with 

 submarginal nucleus. T. distortus, Schub. Wagn. (xlvi, 58). 



PRIENE, H. and A. Ad. Shell ventricose, thin, cancellated or 

 plicated ; canal short. Operculum with apical initial point. 



