NE.ERA.
47
Loven as Embla Korenii, Deshayes as Corbula vitrea^
and Tiberi as Cumingia parthenopoea.
Genus II. NE.^R^A*, (NEARA) Gray. PL II. f. 4.
Body globular, thin : tubes unequal in size, clothed with a
few long filaments : foot lanceolate.
Shell fig- shaped, inequilateral, thin ; posterior end twisted
and extended into a beak-like process : epidermis membranous :
teeth, sometimes a small cardinal in each yalve, or a crest-Hke
laminar lateral on the posterior side of one valve or both
certain species have also a free calcareous ossicle.
The late Capt. Brown first suggested the generic
separation of the present group of shells^ which are
distinguished no less by the singularity than by the
elegance of their shape.
His services in the cause of
British conchology would have been greater if his
attention had not been distracted by so many other
branches of zoology.
Good results, however, were produced by his publications, especially in promoting the
faculty of observation in young persons. Clark repudiates the genus, and merges it in Anatina, on the
ground that each has an ossicle. This leads to the
consideration of the difficult question, what is a genus ?
Nor can I agree with him that we have but one species
of Neaera. Perhaps in a few centuries hence, or sooner,
his opinion on the last point may be found correct ; or
possibly the very notion of species may be classed among
the vulgar errors of a half- enlightened age.
What our
Poet-laureate says is true, that
" Science moves, but slowly slowly,
Creeping on from point to point:"
or as Seneca puts it, " Multa hoc primum cognovimus
* A Sea-Nymph mentioned by Spenser.
47
Loven as Embla Korenii, Deshayes as Corbula vitrea^
and Tiberi as Cumingia parthenopoea.
Genus II. NE.^R^A*, (NEARA) Gray. PL II. f. 4.
Body globular, thin : tubes unequal in size, clothed with a
few long filaments : foot lanceolate.
Shell fig- shaped, inequilateral, thin ; posterior end twisted
and extended into a beak-like process : epidermis membranous :
teeth, sometimes a small cardinal in each yalve, or a crest-Hke
laminar lateral on the posterior side of one valve or both
certain species have also a free calcareous ossicle.
The late Capt. Brown first suggested the generic
separation of the present group of shells^ which are
distinguished no less by the singularity than by the
elegance of their shape.
His services in the cause of
British conchology would have been greater if his
attention had not been distracted by so many other
branches of zoology.
Good results, however, were produced by his publications, especially in promoting the
faculty of observation in young persons. Clark repudiates the genus, and merges it in Anatina, on the
ground that each has an ossicle. This leads to the
consideration of the difficult question, what is a genus ?
Nor can I agree with him that we have but one species
of Neaera. Perhaps in a few centuries hence, or sooner,
his opinion on the last point may be found correct ; or
possibly the very notion of species may be classed among
the vulgar errors of a half- enlightened age.
What our
Poet-laureate says is true, that
" Science moves, but slowly slowly,
Creeping on from point to point:"
or as Seneca puts it, " Multa hoc primum cognovimus
* A Sea-Nymph mentioned by Spenser.