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CONCHOLEPAS. 



aperture did not form the passage between those shells, 

 whose aperture is entire, and those which have a canal at 

 their base. 



In its general form the shell is oblong ; its spire is 

 very short, not produced beyond the last volution, and it 

 must be remarked that the number of volutions scarcely 

 exceeds three : its aperture, almost as large as the shell 

 itself, is formed into a short canal at its base, close to 

 which there are two short processes at the lower part of tlie 

 outer lip : the peritreme is continuous, that is, there is no 

 separation between the outer and inner lip at the upper part, 

 for the inner lip does not lie close to the last whorl, but is 

 only reflected towards it. There are two distinct muscular 

 impressions, one placed upon tbe inner part of the colu- 

 mella, and the other, which is very large, descending from 

 the upper and inner part of the spire to about three-fifths 

 of the distance towards the base of the inner part of the 

 outer lip. On tlie outside, the shell presents imbricated 

 ribs, or costce^ radiating from the spire to the edge of the 

 oater lip, which is consequently crenated; the lowest of 

 these is very large, and forms the external part of the 

 canal. The operculum, according to Bruguiere, only 

 closes a small part of the aperture ; it is thin, horny, 

 oval, and of a dark brown colour, its centre is thicker 

 than its edges, and marked with very close-set transverse 

 striae. 



The Goncholepas is marine: only one species, the 

 C. Peruviana, is known, which is an inhabitant of the 

 Peruvian Coast ; very little is known with certainty of its 

 animal inhabitant, but, judging from analogy, we should 

 think it bears a near resemblance to that of Buccinum, 

 Murex, Purpura, &c. We do not know of any fossil 

 species. 



