12 
BUCCINUM crispatum. 
TAB. CCCCXI1I. 
Spec. Char. Qvate-acuminated, roughened by 
imbricated concave scales, placed upon 
numerous, close, transverse carinae ; whorls 
convex ; lip subdentated ; beak subcanali- 
culated. 
Syn. Purpura imbricata? Lam. Hist. Nat » 
VII . 557. P. Lapillus ? Lam . env. de Paris , 
36 . 
Bcjccinum Lapillus of Linneus, of which the recent 
Purpura imbricata is commonly considered as only a 
rough variety, is so exactly like the more antient species 
before us, that it is difficult to point out any difference ; 
they are all subject to much variation in the length of 
the spire, and size of the carinae ; still it seems that in 
all the varieties of the recent species, the last whorl 
bears a larger proportion to the spire, than it does in the 
corresponding varieties of the fossil ; the latter has also 
a more contracted beak, and no flat space between the 
carinae : in the recent species there is commonly one 
large and one small carina alternately, with flat spaces 
between them ; but in the fossil the small carinae en- 
crease in number with age, so as constantly to fill the 
space between the larger ones. 
Whether or not the above observations be sufficient 
to prove the Shell before us to be a distinct species, it is 
certainly desirable to have a distinguishing name for it 
as a fossil. The doubt attached to Lamarck’s Synony- 
ma, only arises from my not having seen an authentic 
specimen. 
Very abundant in many parts of the Norfolk and 
Suffolk Crag. 
Fig . 1 shews a rare very short variety ; fig. 2 has one 
of the carinae very conspicuous; ^< 7 . 3 the usual habit. 
There is much difficulty and uncertainty in fixing 
the Genera of Shells formerly called Buccina and 
Murices •;• at present we have called the shells before 
us Buccina, but it may hereafter be necessary to sepa- 
rate them from that Genus, especially the first, the lip 
of which is like that of some species of the Genus Fusus, 
or Cerithium, and even approaches Pleurotoma, 
