\ 



MUREX. 



as we have mentioned aLove^ we are to be authorized to 

 establish new genera, we are convinced tliat the number 

 of genera would shortly become equal to that of species. 



We would now limit the genus Murex to those species 

 with a more or less oblong, subturreted shell, a generally 

 rather prominent spire with an acute apex, and three or 

 more rows of varices that are more or less digitated or 

 muricated or spinose, or with an irregularly foliaceous 

 or lacerated fringe ; a suborbicular aperture, a smooth 

 columella, a generally lengthened, sometimes very long, 

 fz'equently recurved canal, and an horny operculum. 



The characters in which these will be found to differ 

 from tliose other genera which have been united with 

 Murex are as follows: they may be distinguished from 

 Fasciolaria and Fusus in the general form, and in being 

 furnished with muricated varices which those two genera 

 Lave not ; from Triton in the smooth columella which in 

 Triton is rugose, and in the number of varices, which in 

 Murex are never less than three; from Ranella because that 

 genus has only two rows of varices, and rugose a columel- 

 la; from Ricinula, in general form and in their lengthened 

 canal; and from Cerithium in the proportion of the spire 

 which in this latter genus is much longer than the 

 aperture. 



We think that Lamarck should not have admitted the 

 31, magellanicus and 31, Icmellosus among his Murices, 

 because they rather belong to Fusus, being sometimes 

 free from varices, which are never muricated: they agree 

 moreover in their other characters more nearly with 

 Fusus. His M. crispatus is probably a Purpura. 



The species of the Genus Murex are numerous, many 

 of them are very beautiful and singular. The longpointed 

 and regularly arranged spines on M. tenuisj)inosus, Lam,. 

 (commonly called Venus' Comb) renders it an extremely 

 interesting and delicate object: M. Scorpio is remarkable 

 for the dilated apices of its fronds; M. Radix for its fine 

 black short spines; M. regius for its brilliant crimson 

 coloured aperture; M. Cervicornis for the forked points 

 of its larger fronds ; M. Palma-rosae for the delicately 

 tinted tips of its finely toothed fronds; and IVJ . Haustelluni 

 for its uncommonly lengthened canal: these are mostly 

 tropical species, but the genus is found in all countries: 

 it is marine and is naturally furnished with an epidermis^ 



