CASSIDARIA. 



Lam, 



TESTA ovalis, vel ©blonga, plermmque ventri- 

 cosa: anfractu ultimo magno, spivd brevi: a'per- 

 turd longitudinali, subelongata in canalem re- 

 curvum, subascendentem, ad basim desinente : 

 labio ewterno incrassato, reflexo; interno ex- 

 panse, coUumellam obtegente, infra libero. 



The present Genus has been separated from tlie Limiean 

 JBuccinum, principally in consequence of the peculiar form 

 and characters of the shell, for we doubt whether the 

 animal has ever been submitted to the examination of 

 the scientific 5 though, if we may form our opinion from 

 the apparent affinity pf the shell to Cassis, its animal will 

 prove to be nearly allied to that of Buccinum; the gene- 

 ral resemblance that the shell bears to Cassis, has most 

 probably obtained it the name of Cassidaria. The great- 

 est difference between these two genera consists in the 

 canal at the base of the aperture of the latter not being 

 abrubtly recurved. Dolimn also approaches it in general 

 form, but may always be known fi'om it by its short, 

 scarcely prominent canal. It will be obser\^ed that we 

 have nearly followed Lamarck's definition of this Genus, 

 waiting for such light as may be thrown upon it and its 

 cognate genera by the knowledge of their animals. We 

 have, however, some doubt about the propriety of con- 

 sidering the Linnean Stromhus Oniscus as a species of Cas- 

 sidaria, the type of which is Buccinum echinophorum^ Linn, 



