CONCHOLOGY. 



Cuvier in his Regne Animal observes that the shells of this genus 

 differ in no other respect from the Conic Volutes than in the prolon- 

 gation of their opening, forming a kind of canal, and adding that it 

 is not easy to trace the limits between the one and the other. 



We have experienced some surprise in observing that while so 

 much attention has been bestowed by writers upon the generical dis- 

 tinctions of Voluta Pyrum, the differences that prevail in its presumed 

 varieties have almost entirely escaped attention. It should be re- 

 marked that in the Gmelinian constitution of this species there are no 

 less than four distinct varieties, all which, according to Gmelin, and 

 subsequently to other writers, appertain to the Linnsean species 

 Pyrum. From the synonymous references which Lamark has brought 

 together in one view, it is obvious that his opinion is the same ; his 

 TuKBlNELLA Pyrum, which is the same as the Linnaean Voluta 

 Pyrum, will be observed to comprehend the several presumed varieties 

 of the species to be found in the works of Martini and Chemnitz, and 

 the same is again observable in the works of Denys de Montfort. 

 There are, however, some Conchologists in England who do not agree 

 in this particular, for they constitute at least three distinct species of 

 the presumed varieties of Voluta Pyrum. This division of the species 

 was first proposed by Dr. Solander, and has been subsequently 

 adopted in several of our English Cabinets. As the particulars of 

 this arrangement may not prove unacceptable, we shall proceed to 

 describe them. 



To the first of these new species Dr. Solander retains the 

 Linnaean name of Voluta Pyrum, it is that kind which has the 

 beak elongated, and is known by the familiar name of the Long 

 Beaked Turnip Shell. This is the Voluta rostrata of some 



