BUCCINUM. 



longer than it is wide, but not elongated; notched ^t the 

 base, and scarcely acute at its superior termination, 

 where there is sometimes, as in Nassa, a small toothlike 

 appendage, formed by a thickening of the inside of the 

 outer lip ; opposed to which there is also sometimes a 

 similar tooth at the upper part of the inner lip, the two 

 together inclosing a small sinus, which is itself the ter- 

 mination of a channel of frequent occurrence in the 

 Buccinidcje; but with the use of which we are unac- 

 quainted. Outer lip with a rather acute edge, seldom a- 

 little thickened, sometimes transversely grooved within, 

 and not unfrequently also dentated at the edge. Colu- 

 mella smooth, quite as prominent as the canal, occasion- 

 ally a little rough near the lower extremity. Canal 

 straight, mostly very short. Operculum, as in ail the 

 Buccinidce, horny, thickish. 



In our opinion the Buccimim undatum, (the common 

 Whelk), ought to be taken as the type of the Genus, for 

 it is a shell of frequent occurrence, and well known, 

 being sold in the markets for food; several species are 

 known, but few true Buccina are described, some occur 

 in the British seas, as well as in the Northern ocean, 

 and we have others from the coast of Africa. 



Of fossil species there do not appear to be many; 

 that named B. stromboides is not decidedly a Buccinum, for 

 though Lamarck has by its specific name compared it 

 with Strombus, we find its characters, except the absence 

 of folds on the columella, would bring it nearer to that 

 Genus, or Subgenus of Volutadae, called Cymhium. More 

 fossils of this Genus are found in the crag than in any 

 other stratum, of these the reverse Whelk of the Essex, 

 Suffolk and Norfolk crag is a remarkable instance, 

 abounding as it does in many places in those counties, 

 but not being found to our knowledge in any other part 

 of the world. In the upper marine formation, and in the 

 London clay, a few species occur. 



