Tornatellidse, and Pyramidellidiie. 449 



present so-called Velutina otis. The doubtful branchial plume lies 

 under the centre of the mantle, evidenced by apparent pectinations, 

 but the exact form escaped observation. The reproduction is not 

 ascertained. The animal is not more than a 15th or 20th of an 

 inch in diameter, yet there is not a point mentioned that admits 

 of doubt, except the precise structure of the branchial organ. 

 There is no operculum. This animal is found at the roots of the 

 Lichina pygmcea on rocks about three miles east of Exmouth, 

 often in company wiihKeUia rubra. When the animals were placed 

 in basins of water they always made their way out of them, and 

 fixed themselves to a dry spot, as is the case with many of the 

 Littorince, which almost constantly live in atmospheric air. This 

 curious and anomalous creature is entirely dissimilar to Velutina, 

 aDd its natural position is far removed from that genus. 



TORNATELLIDJE. 



Tornatella fasciata, Lamarck. 

 Valuta tornatilis, auctorum. 



The following notes are from M. Philippi, Enum. Moll. Sicilise, 

 vol. ii. p. 143 : — 



Animal not differing materially from Bulla, Colour white. An 

 oblong foot, a little longer than the shell, truncate in front and 

 auricledj obtuse behind, carrying a small elongated narrow ar- 

 cuated operculum, with the muricidal character of the strise of 

 increment. The head is flat, divided from the foot by a deep 

 groove coalescing with the tentacula, anteally a little dilated, 

 " medio excisum?,^' divided above by a longitudinal mesial furrow, 

 terminating posteally in two lanceolate lobes reflected on the 

 middle of the shell. Two small eyes in the middle of the head. 



This description, as far as it goes, bears out our preliminary 

 observations as to natural position. 



Pyramidellid^e. 



This family forms an important section in the ranks of British 

 malacology, and consists of numerous species, which, though 

 many of them have long been knQ.^n to our older conchologists, 

 have scarcely until very lately atfracted the attention of con- 

 tinental naturalists in consequence of their minuteness and the 

 difliculty of obtaining the animal for examination. The only 

 recent authors who have paid much attention to the malacology 

 of these interesting objects are the Rev. T. Lowe, M. Loven, 

 M. Philippi, and Prof. Forbes and Mr. Hanley. 



The British genera comprise upwards of forty species, a third 

 of the animals of which I have examined, and think that detailed 

 accounts of them would be desirable and acceptable to many of 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. vi. 30 



