The Larval Stages of Balcis alba and B. devians

The young stages of the members of the family Eulimidæ are little known, the only reference to any species apparently being that of Loven (1844) who briefly notes and figures a veliger which he attributes to Eulima distorta (=Balcis devians). This has a very oblique shell and was probably a week or two old. A comparison of this figure with the apex of Balcis devians from Plymouth and its larvæ in the plankton makes one rather uncertain of its identity but shows that even in those early times it was known that a Eulima could remain some time in the plankton as a veliger.