TEREBRA. 



TESTA elongata, subulata, anfractibus nume- 

 rosis, gradatim majoribus, apertura brevi, 

 oblonga, iiy canalem brevem, rectam desinente; 

 columella contorta, spirali: opercula corneo, 

 non spirali. 



Though it may be difficult in some instances to establish 

 the distinctions between the Terebra of Bruguiere and 

 Buccinum, it may nevertheless be convenient to retain 

 it in the list of Genera^ because, for the most part, the 

 species composing it may be regarded as forming a very 

 well marked natural group. It is not difficult to distin- 

 guish the TerehrcE, {Vis of the French, Needles of the 

 English Collectors) at first sight from the Turritellae, 

 which they closely resemble in general form, by the short 

 canal at the base of the aperture, and by the more or 

 less twisted columella. The operculum also is very dif- 

 ferent, being rather thick, oblong, somewhat pointed at 

 the base and not spiral; whereas that of Turritella is 

 thin, nearly circular and spiral. It is seldom, however, 

 that this character can be brought to our aid, as the 

 opercula of the Terebrae are rarely preserved. It is not, 

 moreover, certain that all the shells that have been ad- 

 mitted into the Genus are furnished with an operculum, 

 for Lamarck asserts, as he says, upon the authority of 

 Adanson, (though we cannot find any expression in 

 Adanson in support of this assertion) that this Genus has 

 no operculum. This assertion, however unsupported by 

 the authority referred to, may perhaps refer to some 

 species which seem to be peculiar to the African shores, 

 and which we think might with propriety be separated 

 from the Terebrae. 



Shell much elongated, subulate, sharp-pointed, ia 

 general composed of a considerable number of volutipjis^ 



