DOLABELLA. 



Cuvier. Ann. du Mus. Regne Anim. 



TESTA oblonga, subarcuata, dolabriformis, epi-^ 

 dermide cornea induta: postic^ angustata, 

 crassior, callosa, subspiralis ; anticfe planulata, 

 latior et tenuior: marginibvis posticis reflexis. 



A Genus instituted by Lamarck, in liis Sysicme des 

 animaux sans verfibres, published in 1801; from an ac- 

 quaintance with the shell only; the animal of which has, 

 however, since heen the subject of a particular memoir, 

 published in the " Annales du Museum, by the celebrated 

 Cuvier : from his examination, it appears that the internal 

 structure of the animal is exactly like that of Aplysia, 

 fro which Genus, indeed, it seems so nearly related in 

 most particulars, that if it had not been for the peculiar 

 character of the posterior extremity of the animal of the 

 Dolabella, and the decidedly calcareous nature of its 

 shell, we should have hesitated about the propriety of 

 their being considered as separate genera. Some idea of 

 the general external characters of the animal may be 

 formed from the following description which we have 

 translated from Lamarck's " Hist. nat. des. anim. sans 

 vert." VL pt. 2, p. 40: An oblong, repent body, n.*.rrow 

 in front, and broader behind, where it is obliquely trun- 

 cated by an inclined orbicular plane, having the edges of 

 its mantle reflected and pressed down upon the back. 

 Four rather tubular tentacula arranged in pairs. Oper- 

 culum the branchiae, including a shell, covered by the 

 mantle, and placed near the posterior part of the body.'' 



