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MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS 



VOLUTA. 



Char. Gen. Testa subovata, coloribus plerumque variis picta. 

 Apex papillaris. Columella plicata, plicis iiiferioribus majoribus, 

 basi emarginata. Epidermis tenuis. 



Shell of a more or less elongated oval form, and for the most 

 part variously coloured. Apex of the spire papillary, sometimes 

 very obtuse and somewhat irregular, though generally beautifully 

 regular; rarely somewhat acute. Columella plaited, the lowest 

 plaits being in general the largest and the most oblique. 



The Genus Voluta as it was left by Lamarck, (including Cymba 

 and Melo), appears to us to form a very natural family ; which 

 might perhaps be further divided into genera and subgenera advan- 

 tageously for the interests of science. What we now give are the 

 Volutes as separated from Cymba and Melo by Broderip, whose 

 opinions upon this subject we gladly adopt, he having studied this 

 family most completely. 



The various species of this beautiful genus differ greatly in form, 

 and these differences, together with other characters, may either be 

 used as the foundations of divisions in the genus or as subgeneric 

 characters. Those with a large, regular, and smooth apex might 

 properly constitute one division ; some of these, as V. imperialis, 

 have the spire crowned with long and strong spines ; others, as 

 V. Scapha, are quite free from such spines, or have the last volu- 

 tion only tuberculated posteriorly. A second division might be 

 constituted of such as V. Vespertilio, V. rutila and others, in which 

 the apex of the spire is surrounded by small tubercles. A third 

 division might consist of such as have a small, rather acute, smooth 

 apex, such as V. marmorata, Swains., Y. Cymbiola, Chemn., which 

 approach the Melones ; such as Y. Yexillum and V. indica, which, 

 having an increased number of folds on the Columella, approach 

 the Musics, which have a still greater number of folds on the Co- 

 lumella. Then the Volutes, with a truncato-papillary apex, which 

 is somewhat irregular, and winch approach the Cymba (through 



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