CONCH OLOGY. 



istory. mcnt nearly overlooks the contained animal, and is 

 -~\'-*~ f wholly occupied with the shell or covering, Linnaeus 

 never having paid attention to the animal. These re- 

 marks would not have been so applicable, had the pe- 

 culiarities of the various species of animals, inhabiting 

 shells, been noticed under the different molluscous ge- 

 nera, to which they are referred. 



Many of the Linnaean genera contain species dissi- 

 milar in habit and economy to those Avith which they 

 are joined. Thus, in the genera, Ostrea, Anomia, Nau- 

 tilus, Turbo, Helix, and Serpula, shells very different 

 in configuration are grouped together. This arose from 

 his zeal to simplify, even when the subject did not ad- 

 mit of it. , 



We are at a loss to account for the licentiousness of 

 the language employed by Linnaeus, when treating of 

 shells — language at which decency must revolt, and de- 

 licacy be offended ; nor are we less astonished at suc- 

 ceeding authors, who have servilely copied his gross 

 and impure allusions. 



We would not wish, in this place, to be understood 

 as condemning the Linnaean arrangement, because it is 

 founded on the character of the shell. We only blame 

 it for overlooking the contained animal. For no sys- 

 tem of conchology, we believe, has ever been invented, 

 which can lay claim to facility of practical application, 

 where the characters are taken exclusively from the 

 animal. If, in a correct arrangement of animals, the 

 characters of the genera and species should be taken 

 from obvious appearances, from parts which operate on 

 the economy, and influence die habits of the animals, 

 then must the shell be attended to, as affording the 

 safest mark for a scientific distribution. The shell 

 serves the animal as a support to its muscles and intes- 

 tines, as a defence from its foes, and a protection 

 against the vicissitudes of the element in which it re- 

 sides. From the characters of the shell, therefore, all 

 arrangement of testaceous bodies should be formed, 

 and not from the contained animal, which, in many 

 cases, presents itself to our notice in too imperfect a 

 state, to admit of its being examined with a view to its 

 classification. 

 F. Mul- The zoological labours of O. F. Muller, have procured 

 , 1776. f or n j m tj le reputation of one of the first naturalists of 

 his age. In his distribution of shells, the characters of 

 his genera are taken from the number and position of 

 the tentacula of the animals in the univalves, and from 

 the structure of the syphon in bivalves. In his Zoology 

 of Denmark, we are presented with his latest views on 

 the subject. He seems to have borrowed several of his 

 characters from the works of Adanson, which we have 

 already noticed. We will here give a short view of his 

 system. 



• Familia I. Testacea Univalvia. 



Sect. I. Testacea univalvia, testa pervia. 



Muller'sar- Gen. 1. Echinus. Testa Crustacea, ano verticali, tenta- 

 rangement. C ulis simplicibus. 



Gen. 2. Spatagus. Testa Crustacea, ano infero, tenta- 



culis penicillatis. 

 Gen. 3. Dentalium. Testa calcarea, testa rude, tenta- 

 culis nullis. 



Sect. II. Testacea univalvia, testa patula. 



Gen. 4. Akera. Apertura effusa, tentaculis nullis. 



Gen. 5. Argonauta. Apertura profunda, tentaculis bi- 

 rds. 



Gen. 6. Bulla. Apertura repanda, tentaculis binis se- 

 taceis, colliculo extrinsecus ocularis. 



59 



Gen. 7. Buccinum. Apertura ovata, tentaculis binis tri- 

 angularibus, angulo intrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 8. Carychium. Apertura ovata, tentaculis binis 

 truncatis conspicuis, angulo intrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 9. Vertigo. Apertura subquadrata, tentaculis bi- 

 nis sublinearibus, apice oculatis. 



Gen. 10. Turbo. Apertura orbicular!, tentaculis binis 

 setaceis, conspicuis, angulo extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 11. Helix. Apertura lunari, tentaculis quatuor line- 

 aribus, apice oculatis. 



Gen. 12. Planorbis. Apertura similunari, tentaculis 

 binis setaceis, angulo intrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 13. Ancylus. Apertura totali, tentaculis binis trun- 

 catis, occultis, angulo extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 14. Patella. Apertura totali, tentaculis binis seta- 

 ceis, occulta angulo, extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 15. Haliotis. Apertura repanda, poris pertusa. 



Sect. III. Testacea univalvia, testa operculata. 



Gen. 16. Tritonium. Libera, apertura canaliculata, ten- 

 taculis duobus linearibus, angulo extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 17. Trochus. Libera, apertura sub-tetragona, ten- 

 taculis duobus setaceis, colliculo extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 18. Nerita. Libera, apertura lunari, tentaculis du- 

 obus setaceis, angulo extrinseco oculatis. 



Gen. 19. Valvata. Libera, apertura circinnata, tentaculis 

 duobus setaceis, angulo postico oculatis. 



Gen. 20. Serpula. Adnata, apertura orbiculari, tenta- 

 culis pinnatis. 



Familia II. Testacea Bivalvia. 

 Sect. I. Testacea bivalvia cardine dentata. 



Gen. 1. My a. Testa altera extremitate hiante ; cardine 

 dente crasso solitario. 



Gen. 2. Soltn. Testa utraque extremitate hiante ; car- 

 dine dente reflexo, ssepe gemino. 



Gen. 3. Tellina. Siphone duplici murico ; cardine den- 

 tibus utrinque tribus alternus. 



Gen. 4. Cardium. Siphone duplici, cirrato, pedeque 

 falciformi; cardine dentibus mediis alternis, remotis 

 penetrantibus. 



Gen. 5. Venus.- Siphone duplici, cirrata, pedeque la- 

 minaeformi, cardine dentibus tribus approximatis, la- 

 teralibus divergentibus. 



Gen. 6. Mactra. Cardine dente medio complicato, ad- 

 jacente foveola. 



Gen. 7. Donax. Cardine dentibus duobus lateralique 

 solitario. 



Gen. 8. Area. Cardine dentibus numerosis, alternis, pe- 

 netrantibus. 



Gen. 9. Terebratula. Branchiis circinnatis ; cardine den- 

 tibus alterius uncinatis, valvula superiore deorsum 

 perforata. 



Sect. II. Testacea bivalvia, cardine edentulo. 



Gen. 10. Anomia. Branchiis simplicibus; valvula infe- 

 riore perforata. 



Gen. 11. Ostrea. Branchiis simplicibus, pede nullo; 

 cardines fossula cava. 



Gen. 12. Pcclen. Branchiis cirratis, pede juxta auricu- 

 lum cardine fossula ovata byssum emittens. 



Gen. 13. Mytilus. Siphone duplici brevi ; fossula line- 

 are, byssum emittens. 



Familia III. Testacea MulTivalvia. 



Gen. 1. Chiton. Valvulae dorsales, tentacula rtulla. 

 Gen. 2. Lepas. Valvulae erectae, tentacula bipartita. 



History. 



Muller'a ar- 

 rangement. 



