BUCCINID^. HT 



on the contrary, ascertained that the more advanced embryos 

 swallow the other yelks whole, and in such quantities as to 

 become greatly distended ; his paper in the ' Report of the British 

 Association' for 1860 contains a representation of ' a young 

 embryo in the act of swallowing an egg.' Before the fry leaves 

 its cell, it is furnished with two rounded and ciliated lobes in 

 front, a proboscis, eyes, foot, gills, heart, otolites or ear-stones, 

 and other organs, besides a perfectly formed shell of two whorls 

 and an operculum. The spawning season takes place according 

 to the latitude and climate, between October and May ; about 

 two months are required for the development of the fry. The 

 shells vary exceedingly in thickness ; some are solid and coarsely 

 ribbed ; others are thin, and their sculpture is very delicate. 

 Sometimes the top of the shell is broken off, and the opening is 

 closed by a plug. In young specimens the nucleus of the oper- 

 culum is more central than in the adult, the lateral extension of 

 growth being inwards or towards the pillar." 



The egg-cases of B. Humphrey sianura are separate and hemi- 

 spherical, on which account Dr. Jeffreys has proposed to separate 

 that species under the generic name Mada, its surface being 

 glabrous. 



BucciNOPSis, Jeffreys. 



Syn. — Liomesus, Stimpson. 



Distr. — 3 sp. Northern IjJurope, Siberia, Alaska. B. Dalei, 

 Sowb. (1, 29). 



Shell bucciniform, smooth or spirally striulate, last whorl 

 inflated; aperture obliquely truncate below. Operculum small, 

 subtriangular, nucleus apical. 



Dr. Jeffreys, who places his genus in the family Muricidse, 

 remarks that " the principal difference between this genus and 

 Buccinum consists in the operculum, the nucleus of which is in 

 Buccinopsis terminal, at the inner base of the mouth, the increase 

 taking place by semielliptical layers ; while in the other genus it 

 is placed within the edge, at the outer side of the mouth, the 

 increase taking place by concentric la^^ers. The egg-cases of 

 Buccinopsis are separate, and shaped like a well-filled leather 

 purse, the opening for the egress of the fry being at the top and 

 very wide." 



Neobuccinum, E. a. Smith. 



Distr. — The preceding genera, Buccinum and Buccinopsis, are 

 inhabitants of the Arctic sea; this, of the Antarctic waters. N. 

 Eatoni, E. A. Smith (1, 30, 31). 



Shell bucciniform, smooth, thin ; aperture obliquely, widely 

 notched below. Operculum subspiral. Dentition resembling that 

 of Neptunea. 



Mr. Smith founds his genus principally upon the paucispiral 



