OLIVA. it genus of gasteropod mollusks of the family buccinide, order Prosobranchi ata. See LWERTEBRATE ANIMALS, sub-kingdom mollusea, division B, mollusca proper, class II., Gasteropoda, section A, order I., family 3. They are sometimes classed with the volutida, see as above, family 5. The genus has the following characters: animal involved, compressed. with a small head terminated by a proboscis; tentacles approxi mated, enlarged at their base, and subulate at their extremities, carrying the eyes on small convexities about their middle part externally; foot very large, oblong, and slit transverse anteriorly; mantle with a single lateral lobe covering the shell in great part, with two tongue-like processes at the side of the branchial opening, and forming in front a very elongated siphon ; a single branchial pectination. Oliva is one of the richest in color of shell and in variety oispecies, which form considerable sections in the cabinets of many collectors. 0. textilina, the "astrolabe," has a cinereous white shell, subretic ulated with flexuous dotted lines, with two brown bands, covered with characters. as
though hieroglyphic. This beautiful shell wi tlrits animal is found in the Antilles and Nev, Guinea. 0. maura has a cylindrical shell, with the apex rounded and a slight depres sion (retnse); aperture white. East Indian ocean and Australia. 0. sanguinolenta has a cylindrical shell, very beautifully and delicately reticulated, with reddish-brown 'small lines, girt with two brown zones; the, pillar orange,red. It is found in .0e East India* ocean and on the coast of Tinioi. These speciea have been found at various depths, from the surface to 12 fathoms, on mud, sandy mud, coarse sand, etc. They are very carniv erous, but live only upon the juices of other animals. They are taken at the Mauritius in the following manner: a line is secured in position near the bottom of the sea, to which short lines with nooses containing pieces of the arms of cuttle fish are attached, so that they touch the bottom. After the apparatus has remained for a time in position one end is raised from a boat, and examined along its course, and the animals which adhere to the cuttle fish removed.