CATOPHRAGMUS.^ 



TESTA subconica, apice pervio, basi adhserente, 

 fvalvd testaced clausal) valvis octo, inaequali- 

 bus, lateraliter adjunctis, composita; valvis 

 porro plurimis per series externas, circulares, 

 gradatim minores, confertim eo-ordinatis. 

 Operculum bipartitum, valvis quatuor, antieis 

 majoribus, compositum. 



We have ever been anxious to avoid increasing the 

 number of genera as much as possible^ not^ indeed^ be- 

 cause we entertain the impression that by so doing we 

 should increase the difficulties attending upon our fa- 

 vourite pursuit; for^ on the contrary, we are persuaded 

 that an increase in the number of genera, where there 

 are sufficient distinguishing characters, would materially 

 lighten the toil of the student. Our reason for this 

 anxiety has rather been the want of preparation in the 

 mind of students to profit by such improvements as have 

 been and might be daily introduced. The sort of prepa- 

 ration we mean is the adoption of correct first pri?iciples, 

 upon which alone, as on a foundation, a symmetrical and 

 beautiful system can be established. That these correct 

 first principles are only to be obtained by the study of 

 the Mollusca, which form and inhabit shells is becoming 

 daily more and more apparent, yet the shells themselves 

 may in most cases be regarded as indicating many of the 

 more important facts in connection with the history of 

 their animal inhabitants, and may consequently be gene- 

 rally considered as sufficient to demonstrate characters 

 strong enough for the establishment of genera; with 

 these views therefore we do not hesitate to propose the 

 present new Genus, which, without knowing the animal, 

 yet from analogy, we judge to belong to Leach's Cirri- 

 pedes acamptosomata," the " Cirripedes sessiles" of Lamarck, 



* From y.xru infra et (ppoiyfAoi septum. 



