The Conchologist’s First Book — Edgar A. Poe, 1839 — reading text

3. Voluta. «44 18...Alata. Three genera. 4, Marginelle. 4 F238 1. Rostellaria. Species 7 5. Volvaria. as 5 2. Pterocera. “« 12 121. Convoluta. Six genera. 3.Strombus. - “ — 3 12: rage gee ae Eleven gen. . Cassidaria. Species 12 - Cassis. s¢ 33 3. Ricinula. “ 4, Purpura. Ry iS 5. Monoceros. “ 6. Concholepas. * 7. Harpa. «§ 8. Dolium. és 9, Buccinum. 66 7 10. Eburna. se 11, Terebra. 6 Ps SFPOnwnonwtorornec 1. Cyprea. Species 118 2. Ovula. 6 Lip} 3. Terebellum. - “ a 4, Ancillaria. ee 9 5. Oliva. és 68 6. Conus. “« 181 22. Nautilacea. ‘Two genera. 1. Spirula. Species 1 . 2. Nautilus. ‘“ Vy. 23. Heteropoda. ‘lwo genera. 1. Argonauta. Species 3 2. Carinaria. “ 3 The American species are designated by a *. CONCHOLOGY. CLASS I. ANNULATA. Animal soft, elongated, vermiform, naked or inhabiting a tube, which it never entirely quits; the body furnished either with seg- ments or transverse wrinkles; often without a head, eyes or antenne ; without articulated feet, but most of them having in their place bristly retractile knobs, disposed in lateral rows : mouth subterminal, either simple, orbicular, with lips, or in the form of a proboscis ; often with jaws, a knotted longitudinal medulla, and nerves for sensation and motion; the blood red, circulating by means of arteries and veins: respiration by external or internal branchiz, which are sometimes imperceptible. Four Families. FAMILY I. Dorsatra. Two Genera. 1, Genus Arenicola. Animal. The gills, or respiratory organs dorsal, or disposed lengthways on the body. Shell, Supposed to be tubular. One species. A. Piscatorium. 2. Genus Siliquaria. Pl, V. Animal. See Arenicola. 4 26 CONCHOLOGY. Shell very thin, conical, tubular, involuted in a spiral manner, Joosely and irregularly ; aperture circular, sharp edges, interrupted in the middle by a notch, extending like a slit through the greater portion of its length, and stopping abruptly at some distance from the summit. Inhabits the Indian Seas. Five species. Siliquaria Anguina. Siliquaria Levigata. S. Muricata. S. Lacteza. S. Rugosa. FAMILY HII. Matpanra. Two Genera. 1. Genus Clymene. -inimal. Respiratory organs not determined, supposed to be at the posterior part of the body. Shell. Tube thin and slender, open at both ends, encrusted externally with sand and fragments of shells. One species. €. Amphistoma. 2. Genus Dentalium. PI. V. Animal. Body elongated, conical, sub-vermiform, enveloped in a fistular mantle as far as the anterior third, and ending in a bourrelet pierced in its middle by an orifice with fringed edges; foot altogether anterior, proboscidiform, terminated by a conical appendage, contained in a kind of cup with festooned edges ; head distinct, oval, with a terminal mouth in the middle of a digitated lip ; a pair of lateral jaws, formed each of two little oval shells garnished with points. Shell. Tubular, regular, symmetrical, slightly curved longitu- dinally, tapering gradually to the rear, and opening in a round orifice at each end. Inhabits the British seas. Fourteen species. Dentalium elephantinum. Dentalium octoganum. D. aprinum. D. novemcostatum. D. fasciatum. D. dentale. D. entale. D. nigrum. D. tarentinum, D. politum. D. corneum. D. eburneum. D. lutea. D. Swainsoniense. CONCHOLOGY. 27 FAMILY III. AMPHITRIT@HA. Four Genera. 1. Genus Pectinaria. Pi. V. Animal. Respiratory organs in general known, and disposed at or near the anterior part of the body; not separated or covered by an operculum. Shell. A membranous or papyraceous tube in the form of a reversed cone; unfixed; exterior covered with sandy adhesions. Two species. ~ Pectinaria belgica. Pectinaria capensis. 2. Genus Sabellaria. Pl. V: Animal. But slightly differing from the Pectinaria. Shell. Composed of fragments and particles of marine substan- ces, adhering to a tubular membrane; some are detached, others fixed; tubes cellular at the base; orifice expanded. ‘T'wo species. Sabellaria alveolata. Sabellaria crassissima. 3. Genus Terebelia. Pl. V. Animal. Body tubicular, elongated, cylindrically depressed, attenuated posteriorly ; a row of nodulous and setiferous papilla on each side; numerous filiform, twisted tentacula surrounding the mouth. Shell. An elongated cylindrical and membranous tube, atten- uated and pointed at the base; with sandy adhesions. Inhabits the coast of New Holland. Four species. Terebella conchilega. Terebella cristata. T. ventricosa. T. vermicuta. 4, Genus Amphitrite. Pl. V. Animal. Body tubicular, elongated, cylindrical, attenuated behind with many annulated segments. Shell. An elongated cylindrical tube growing thinner towards the base, of a tough membranous texture, and generally without adhesions. Mediterranean sea. Seven species. Amphitrite ventilabra. Amphitrite vesiculosa. 28 CONCHOLOGY. A. volutacornis. A. infundibula. A. minima. A. penicilla. A. magnifica. FAMILY IV. Serrutacesa. Five Genera. 1. Genus Spirorbis. Pl. V. Animal. Gills or respiratory organs separated or covered by an operculum. Shell. A testaceous tube turned spirally on a horizontal plane, the lower portion of which is attached to marine substances, gen- erally fuci; opening of the tube terminal, rounded or angular. Found on Alge on the British coast. Six species. Spirorbis nautiloidis. S. spirilla. S. tricostalis. Spirorbis bicarinata. S. carinata. S. lamellosa. 2. Genus Serpula. Pl. V. Animal. Body tubular, elongated, depressed and attenuated behind ; segments numerous and narrow; small bundles of awl- shaped bristles in a single row on each side. Shell. A solid calcareous tube, brown, purple, yellow, tawny, pink, white, or tinged with green. The shells are irregularly twisted, in clusters, and affixed to other substances. Inhabits the coast of Britain. Twenty-six species. Serpula vermicularis. S. fascicularis. S. intestina. S. contortuplicata. S. plicaria. S. glomerata. S. decussata. S. protensa. S. infundibula. S. annulata. S. cereola. S. filograna. S. vermicella. Serpula filaria. S. pellucida. S. intorta. S. cristata. S. spirulea. S. quadrangularis. S. minima. S. echinata. S. sulcata. S. costalis. S. dentifera. S. sipho. S. arenaria. CONCHOLOGY. 29 3. Genus Vermilia. PI. V. Animal. Body tubicular, elongated and attenuated towards the posterior part, and provided superiorly with a simple testaceous orbicular operculum. Shell. A testaceous cylindrical tube, narrowed in the rear, twisted, and adhering by the side to marine substances. Inhabits the British coast. Nine species. Vermilia rostrata. Vermilia subcrenata. V. triquetra. V. plicifera. V. bicarinata. V. scabra. V. eruca. V. teniata. V. plicata. 4. Genus Galeolaria. Pl. V. Animal. Distinguished from the vermilia by a very peculiar operculum. Shell. In groups, testaceous, cylindrical, subangular, wavy, adhering by the base, and open at the summit ; aperture orbicular, terminated on the side by a spatular tongue ; operculum orbicular, squamose, and consisting of from five to nine testaceous parts or valves, Inhabits the Indian seas. Two species. Galeolaria cespitosa. Galeolaria elongata. 5. Genus Magilus. Pl. V. Animal. Unknown. Shell. Usually found imbedded in a species of Madrepore. Base bent into a spiral form, oval, with four contiguous, convex volutions (the last of which is the largest), and prolonged into a straight waved tube, convex above, carinated beneath. Inhabits the sea at the Isle of France. Two species. Magilus antiquus. Magilus muricatus. 4* Pu a, "2 CONCHOLOGY. © < ; rs he CLASS II. CIRRHIPEDA. | Animal. Soft, without head or eyes, testaceous, body fixed as if reversed, inarticulated, furnished with a mantle, having above tentacular arms, with curled tufts multiarticulated, mouth beneath, not projecting, dentated transverse jaws disposed in pairs. Number of arms, unequal and varying, disposed in rows, each composed of two rows of curled tufts of bristles; fringed; a cor- neous skin supported by a pedicle. Medulla longitudinal and knotted ; gills external, sometimes concealed ; circulation by heart and vessels. One Family. . FAMILY. | ‘ Cirruirepa. ‘len Genera. 1. Genus Tubicinella. Pl. V. ; Animal. Body inclosed in a shell, with small setaceous and unnequal cirri. Sheli. Univalve, operculated, tubular, erect, a little attenuated towards the base, bound with annular transvere ribs, truncated at both ends, open at the summit, and closed at the base with a membrane. Operculum with four obtuse valves. South American seas. One species. Tubicinella valanarum, 2. Genus Coronula. Pl. V. Animal. Body seated, enveloped ina shell with small setaceous and cirrous arms. Shell. Sessile, apparently indivisible, suborbicular, conoidal or blunt, conical, the extremities truncated, the sides very thick, the inside hollowed into radiating cells. Operculum composed of four obtuse valves. Inhabits the north seas. Four species. Coronula diadema. Coronula valenaris. C, testudinaria. ; C. pulchra. > er --s GCONCHOLOGY. 5" 31 , . 3. Genus Balanus. Pl. V.- Animal. Body sessile, inclosed in an opereulated shell ; branchie numerous, placed’ in two rows, Unequal, articulated, cilliated ; each composed of two cirri, supported by a peduncle, and exsertile ; mouth with four transverse dentated j Jaws, with four hairy palpi-like appendages. . _ Shell. Formed of six distinct coronary valyes, one dorsal, one ventral, and two pairs of laterals, with a calcareous support ; operculum forming a sort of pyramid, by four articulated pieces in the aperture of the shell. Inhabits the Frith of Forth, Twenty- nine species. Balanus angulosus. Balanus, tintinabulus. B. negrescens. B. calycularis. B. roseus. B. miser. °: B. amphimorphus. B. subimbricatus. B. crispatus. B. palmatus. . B. stalaciferus. B. dupluconus. B. patellaris. B. semiplicatus. B. perforatus. B. levis. B. rugosus. B. punctatus. B. latus. B. sulcatus. B. plicatus. B. cylindraceus. “i B. galeatus. B. ovularis. B. spinosus. B. radiatus. B. placianus. B. fistulosus. B. Lyonsii. 4. Genus Acasia. Pi. V. Animal. Body without a peduncle, and inclosed in a multi- valve shell, found in sponge or marine bodies, mouth and tenta- cula placed in the apex, or upper part of the body. Shell. ~ Patella-shaped, sub-conically oval, formed of six lateral unequal valves forming the base, which being convex prevents the shell from standing by itself in an erect position, when de- 32 CONCHOLOGY. tached from the substance which envelopes it. Inhabits the Bri- tish seas. Four species. Acasta montaguii. Acasta glans. A. sulcata. A. tubulosa. 5. Genus Creusia. PI. VV: Animal. Body, subglobular, inclosed in an operculated shell ; having three or four pairs of tentacular arms: mouth at the anterior part of the body. Shell. Sessile, fixed, orbicular, conical, consisting of four united unequal valves ; attached to madrepore and other marine substances, they are almost microspopic, and found only in the seas of hot countries. Inhabits the China seas. Three species. Creusia stromia. Creusia spinulosa. C. verruca. 6. Genus Pyrgoma. PI. V. Animal. As above. Shell. Sessile, univalve, rather globular, ventricose, convex above; apex perforated; aperture small, elliptical, operculum quadrivalve. Inhabits the Indian seas. One species. Pyrgonia cancellata. 7. Genus Anatifera. Pl. V. Animal. Body covered with a shell, supported by a long tubular tendinous peduncle ; with long, numerous, and unequal tentacular arms, which are articulated and ciliated, and emanating from the summit on one side. Shell. Compressed on the sides, with five