62 



ROSTELLARIA. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER: The shell spindle shaped or 

 subturreted, ending in a beak shaped canal ; right lip entire 

 or toothed, more or less dilated with age; a sinus near the 

 canal. 



* R. PES PELECANI. Strombus P. P. Turt. Lin. Pen. 

 Brit. Zo., vol. 4, pi. 75. Stew. Elem., vol. 2, p. 402. 

 Mont. Test. Brit., 1, p. 253, R. P. P. Flem. Brit. An., 

 p. 359. Not uncommon. No animal seems to be better 

 protected from harm, than this ; and yet I have obtained 

 it, of full growth, from the stomach of a species of star- 

 fish (Asterias Papposa) of no large size. When the soft 

 portion has been digested, the empty shell is rejected, and 

 thus becomes the habitation of the Sipunculus Strombus ; 

 which formes a nest for itself by narrowing the entrance 

 with agglutinated sand. 



PVRPURIFERA. 



The shell with a short canal ascending posteriorly, or an 

 oblique notch or half canal at the bottom of the aperture; 

 directed towards the back. Columella flattened, pointed at 

 the base. 



PURPURA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER: Shell oval, smooth, tuber- 

 cular or angular; aperture dilated, the lower part termi- 

 nating in an oblique subcaniculated notch. Columella 

 flattened, pointed at the base. 



* P. LAPILLUS. Buccinum L. Turt. Lin. Pen. Brit. 

 Zo., vol. 4, pi. 72, fig. 89. Borlase's Nat. Hist, of Corn., 

 pi. 28, Mont. Test. Brit., vol. 1, p. 239. Stew. Elem., 

 vol. 2, p. 401. P. L. Flem. Brit. An., p. 341. 

 Montagu has rightly observed that this common shell is 



subject to much variety ; but it may still be questioned 

 whether two species have not been confounded together. 

 The most common is that given in the references as above, 

 and of which Pennant has engraved a figure, on the left side 

 of his plate, below fig. 88. It varies in having the channel 

 more or less extended; in the outer lip, which is sometimes 

 strongly tuberculated within; and even sometimes with 

 tubercles on the columella; whereas in other instances it is 

 but slightly waved, as represented in Pennant's other figures. 

 The general colour is a faint greenish yellow ; but some are 

 white, or very dark ; or again, with a single or double en- 

 circling yellow or black bands. Young specimens are marked 

 with circular concave thin ridges ; which in the course of 

 time are rubbed off by the friction which the shell receives 

 from the violence of the waves. The other variety or species, 

 has the lower whorl much more globose, the chief expansion 



