"The beautiful genus Harpa, harp-shell, is remarkable for its elevated ridges on the back of the shell, its large aperture, and its fine colouring. They are East Indian shells. H. ventricosa is a common species. H. nobilis is very fine, and also H. costata.
"Equally well-known are the Tuns, Dolium, by their globose form, the right-margin toothed, and a canal below. They reach a large size, and are light shells in proportion to their bulk. Dolium galeum is sometimes the size of the human head. D. perdix is a choice species.
DOLIUM.
BUCCINUM.
EBURNA.
"Buccinum contains some British species, as B. reticulatum, ([Plate 7],) B. anglicanum, B. undatum, which is very common. In connexion with this species I wish you to know that a marine substance, called by sailors sea-wash balls, by others sea-sponge, and extremely common on all our sea-coasts, is the egg-cases of the Buccinum undatum. The mass is remarkably light, and composed of numerous little cells, each of which has an opening. The colour varies from yellow to white."
"I know them well," exclaimed Lucy, "how often I have asked the name of those nests, but never could I obtain a reply worth having! And now, father, give me leave to interrupt you a few minutes. What are those black, stiff, marine substances, with a horn-like projection at each of the four corners; they are all hollow, and open at each end, I think, and usually inflated?"
"The egg-cases of the scate."
"Thank you, father, I will examine them again carefully when I am at the sea-side."
"The genus Eburna," continued Mr. Elliot, "is remarkable from the smoothness of the shells. E. spirata, the Joppa whelk, has the whorls deeply channelled. (See the Frontispiece.) The columella is umbilicated, and has a canal beneath it.
TEREBRA.
COLUMBELLA.
"The Terebra genus is turreted; very acute at the apex. ([Plate 9.])