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VERMICULARIA, De Lamar eke. 
Serpula 5 Linn . 
Vermiculum ? Mont. Test . 2?n7. 2. 517* 
Gen. Char. Shell a free tube gradually enlarging 
towards the mouth; spiral or involute at the 
smaller end ; aperture round, entire. 
■ i 
The Generic Character of Serpula given by Linnaeus, 
including only such shells as adhere laterally to other 
bodies, and Yermiculum of Montague, (univalve, shape 
various, not attached to other bodies) not being sufficiently 
defined, I adopt De Lamarcke’s Genus Yermicularia for 
such shells of the Linneean Genus Serpula as are not fixed 
to other bodies *. 
VERMICULAR! A con cava. 
TAB. LVII. — Figs. 1, 2 9 3, 4, and 5. 
Spec. Char. Discoid, involute, concave on one 
side; the last whorl but slightly attached. 
This is almost wholly involute with but a small portion 
of straight tube: the surface is nearly smooth and even; 
the involute part is concave on one side only, the other 
being flat. It seldom exceeds three-fourths of an inch in 
diameter, with about four turns. 
I should suppose the inhabitants of these shells to be 
gregarious from the number included in the sand, but we 
cannot determine such things with certainty in fossils, 
which may, after they have passed from the living state, 
have been variously disposed, yet there is some room for 
presumption on this head when we find but little admixture. 
As the specific character will not include the varieties of 
this shell, I must observe that the younger shell probably 
has no appearance of the latter whorl separating from the 
* The Serpulae of Linn, are arranged as Vermes by De Lamarcke, to 
distinguish them from Mollusca or Shelly animals, but their having shelly 
coverings we may probably include them as better completing the arrange® 
saent of shells. 
