CHAPTER XI.

[Sidenote: RANELLA. VOLUTA. OVULA.]

"What is Charles drawing from his pocket with a look of so much importance," said Mr. Elliot, the next time they met.

"There is _Ranella crumena_, thorny-frog; _Ovula gibbosa_, the shuttle; and _Voluta musica_, the music-shell," said Charles.

"Oh, who gave you those nice shells?" asked Lucy, "and how do you know the names?"

"Let my father say if I am correct, first," replied Charles.

"Perfectly," answered his father; "but I fancy that I can guess how you obtained your information. You have been buying these specimens, and had the names from the shell-vender. I hope your purchase did not cost much, for they are not rare shells?"

"No; I should not choose to spend a large sum, even from my purse, until I am a better judge of the value of shells. But as our collection is but small, I thought that Lucy would be glad to see an addition to the stock."

[Sidenote: CANALIFERA, CERITHIUM.]

"Thank you, brother," said Lucy, "you never forget me in your purchases or your pleasures."

"Let us return to our subject," said Mr. Elliot, "and notice the families of the next section, which are all carnivorous, living on animal substances. They have a projecting syphon, which conveys the water to them: they are all marine. The syphon passes through the base of the aperture, either into a canal, or channel, or a narrow, recurved margin. The mouth is furnished with a trunk.

* * * * *

"_Canalifera_ contains in the first section,

_Cerithium_ Chiefly _Murex_. _Pleurotoma_ _Murex_. _Turbinella_ _Voluta_ and _Murex_. _Cancellaria_ _Voluta_. _Fasciolaria_ _Murex_. _Fusus_ _Murex_. _Pyrula_ _Murex_ and _Bulla_.

[Sidenote: FOSSIL CERITHIUM. TURBINELLA.]

"The naturalist Bruguieres established the fine genus _Cerithium_, mixed by Linnæus among those of _Murex_, _Strombus_, and _Trochus_. These shells are always turreted, having a short canal at the base; the aperture oblong, oblique, with a gutter turned backwards. (See Frontispiece.) Many are girded with zones, that are granulated, or beset with little tubercles. It is remarkable that _Cerithium giganteum_, a species more than a foot in length, is found fossil in France, and as a living species in the seas of New Holland. _C. telescopium_ is a fine shell from the East Indies. _C. vertagus_ is smooth, tawny-white, with a recurved canal. It comes from the Moluccas. Many species occur fossil in London clay and in plastic clay: the Woolwich pits afford specimens, and also of _Turritella_.

"_Pleurotoma_, formerly united with _Murex_, is distinguished by the singular _notch_ in the right-margin of the shell. One species, the Tower of Babel, is well-known, and another is common under the name of _Murex javanus_. The fossil species are numerous.

"_Turbinella_ is taken from _Murex_ and _Voluta_: some species are thick, heavy shells, from the Indian seas.

"_Cancellaria_ is an elegant genus: the shells are varicose, reticulated, or cancellated; the columella has folds upon it, varying in number, the right-margin sulcated within. There are several fossil species, which are considered very beautiful.

"_Fasciolaria trapezium_, the Persian robe, is a fine shell from the Indian seas, very common in collections.

[Sidenote: FUSUS. PYRULA. RANELLA.]

"The genus _Fusus_ consists of spindle-shaped shells, of which _Fusus colus_, the distaff, will give an idea. They are covered with an epidermis which conceals, in some species, the fine colours beneath.

"_Fusus despectus_ (_Murex_ of Linnæus) is the largest of the British turbinated shells, and very common: it is the large whelk.

"_Fusus contrarius_, the reverse whelk, is found fossil in the Essex crag.

"Among the shells of the _Pyrula_ genus we find _P. ficus_, the fig, placed by Linnæus among the _Bulla_ race. _P. spirillus_ is a pretty species, with a long canal and a flattened spire, having a tubercle at its termination.

* * * * *

"Second section of _Canalifera_: shells with a varix on the right-margin.

_Struthiolaria_, } _Ranella_, } _Murex_. _Murex_, } _Triton_, }

"_Struthiolaria_, ostrich-foot, is a remarkable shell from New Zealand.

"_Ranella_, thorny-frog, is frequent in collections: there are several species: _R. crumena_ is easily obtained--you must purchase a specimen.

[Sidenote: MUREX. TRITON.]

"Notwithstanding the great reductions of the _Murex_ genus, it is still large, and contains very fine species. The shells have _three or more_ varices upon each whorl; those in _Ranella_ but _two_; while _Struthiolaria_ has a varix only on the right-margin. The species are numerous, and common in collections. _M. saxatilis_ is white, and zoned with rose-colour or purple. The foliations, or branches, are erect. The Rose-bush is pretty; and the wagtail, _M. motacilla_, will, doubtless, be a favourite with you, as well as the scoop, _M. haustellum_.

"Notwithstanding the resemblance of the genus _Triton_ to those of _Murex_ and _Ranella_, there are permanent differences which make them distinguishable at first sight. I have already noticed the varices of the preceding genera; in _Triton_ they never form longitudinal ranges, but are alternate, few, and nearly solitary on each whorl of the spire; these varices are generally smooth and without spines.[C] _Triton variegatum_, the marine trumpet, is a large, handsome species, from the Asiatic seas. _T. lampas_ and _T. lotorium_ are common. _Triton anus_ is very remarkable.

[C] Lamarck.

"In the next family, _Alata_, we must notice a remarkable fact: the shells, while they are young, assume a different form to those more advanced in growth.

[Sidenote: ROSTELLARIA. PTEROCERA. STROMBUS.]

"The genera are three--

_Rostellaria_, } _Pterocera_, } _Strombus_, wing-shell. _Strombus_, }

"In the first genus the shells are terminated below by a canal, or pointed beak; the right-margin entire, or toothed, more or less dilated with age, and having a sinus contiguous to the canal. There is a specimen from our own coast, _Rostellaria pes-pelicani_, the pelican's-foot: it was _Strombus_ of Linnæus. (Plate 7.) There are many of this species found in a fossil state.

"The _Pterocera_ genus is easily known by the digitated, or fingered, appearance of the right-margin. The greater part of the species become very large. Here we find the scorpion, with seven digitations, from India; the spider, with the same number, a large and fine shell, also from India.

"_Strombus_ has a short canal, the right-margin dilated with age into a simple wing, having, at the lower part, a sinus, separated from the canal at the base of the shell.

"All the species are natives of hot climates; some attain a very large size, such as _S. gigas_, so frequently seen in shops, and as ornaments in a room. _S. gibbèrulus_ is a pretty little shell; the white, gibbous whorls render it remarkable; the interior of the lip is pink. _S. lineàtus_ has dark lines round the shell. _S. vittàtus_ has a very long spire; the colour is tawny, girded with white: you may easily meet with this species.

[Sidenote: CASSIDARIA. CASSIS.]

"The family _Purpurifera_ is composed of genera taken chiefly from the large Linnæan genus _Buccinum_.

* * * * *

"It is thus divided:

"First, the genera with the canal ascending, or turned towards the back of the shell--

_Cassidaria_, } _Cassis_, } _Buccinum_, helmets.

"_Cassidaria_ is not a very common genus; but the helmets, _Cassis_, are both numerous and plentiful in most collections. The straight aperture slightly reminds you of a _Cypræa_ perhaps, but the short canal, abruptly turned back, is a clear distinction; the right-margin generally toothed; the columella folded, or wrinkled, transversely.

"_C. cornuta_, _C. flummea_, _C. arèola_ and _vibex_, are all well-known species, _C. cornuta_ has large tubercles like horns round the tip of the shell. _C. arèola_ is marked with chequers. _C. rufus_, from the Moluccas, is a fine shell, with a deeply coloured red aperture.

"In the next division the canal is oblique, and directed backwards.

[Sidenote: NASSA. RICINULA. PURPURA.]

_Ricinula_ _Murex_. _Purpura_, } _Monoceros_, } _Concholepas_, } _Harpa_, } _Buccinum_. _Dolium_, } _Buccinum_, } _Eburna_, } _Terebra_, }

"To these genera another has been added, called _Nassa_, of which _Buccinum arcularia_ will furnish an example. The columella has a callosity very evident in the species _Pullus_ and _Thersites_.

"_Ricinula horrida_ has a ringent aperture of a fine violet colour; the shell is thick, and covered with large black tubercles. The genus takes its name from a resemblance to the seeds of _Ricinus_.

"_Purpura_ is a large genus: in certain of the species the colouring-matter exists of which the ancients formed their famous purple dye. It is the last genus that offers any appearance of a canal at the base of the aperture.

"_P. patula_, the scoop, from the Atlantic and Mediterranean, has the aperture remarkably dilated, the margin sulcated.

"_P. lapillus_ is a common British shell among the chalk-cliffs of the coast; the colour varies, sometimes white, at others yellowish.

[Sidenote: MONOCEROS. CONCHOLEPAS. HARPA.]

"I shall describe a species of the singular genus _Monoceros_, by which you will scarcely fail to recognise it.

"The columella is flattened like _Purpura patula_; just within the outer lip is a row of small teeth; but the principal peculiarity is a process, or horn, near the outer part of the lower lip, and close to the canal, from which the genus derives its name _Monoceros_, _one-horn_. It is brought from the seas of America.

"_Concholepas Peruviana_, the only species, is also a remarkable shell. The aperture is very large, almost equal to the shell itself; the spire is near the edge; the outside is marked with ribs, or costæ; there are two short teeth on the right-margin. This shell was placed among the _Patella_.

"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.

[Sidenote: 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.

[Sidenote: TEREBRA. COLUMBELLA.]

"The _Terebra_ genus is turreted; very acute at the apex. (Plate 9.)

"The family _Collumellaria_ is next in order. The _canal_ now disappears at the base of the shell, but there is a slope and folds on the columella. We have reached the large genus _Voluta_ of Linnæus, greatly reduced by withdrawing the following genera:

_Columbella_, } _Mitra_, } _Cymba_, } _Melo_, } _Voluta_. _Voluta_, } _Marginella_, } _Volvaria_, }

"The shells of _Columbella_ are of small size; two species are very common in collections. _C. mercatoria_ is a little shell striated transversely; the outer lip is thickened in the middle, and toothed; the columella is plaited: the animal is furnished with an operculum.

"_Columbella nitida_ is another pretty species, smooth and shining: you may perceive the generic marks if you look closely--two small folds on the pillar-lip, and the swelling, toothed, outer margin. They are all West Indian marine shells.

[Sidenote: MITRA. CYMBA. MELO.]

"_Mitra_ is a large genus, and it is believed that there are three times as many species yet undescribed. The mitres are natives of warm climates, and few are common. The pillar-lip of _Mitra_ is parallel, with transverse folds; the base has a slope, but no canal; the margin of the columella is thin and rolled back. _M. episcopalis_, the bishop, is white with red spots; the columella-folds are four. (Plate 9.) _M. papalis_, the pope's-mitre, has five; the upper whorls are broken into a kind of crown.

"In _Cymba_, the gondola, the spire ends in a tubercle, and scarcely appears; the aperture is wide: they are very pretty shells.

"_Melo_, the melon, from the Indian Ocean, is a very fine genus; here the spire is evident.

"_Voluta musica_ will serve as an example of the genus. The animal is carnivorous.

"_Marginella_ is an oblong, smooth, and polished shell; its peculiar character is the thickened outer lip; it is a neat, small species, prettily coloured.

"_Volvaria_ is a cylindrical shell, convolute, the spire nearly hidden; the aperture straight, as long as the shell. There is a fossil species found in London clay. _V. monilis_ is sometimes strung for necklaces. It comes from Senegal.

[Sidenote: OVULA.]

"The last family of the order _Trachelipoda_ is _Convoluta_, which contains many very fine genera.

"They are the following:

_Ovula_ _Bulla_. _Cypræa_ The same. _Terebellum_ _Bulla_. _Ancillaria._ _Oliva_ _Voluta_. _Conus_ The same.

"The general characters of this family are the following:

"Shell without a canal, the base of the aperture sloping, or effuse, the spire compressed, the last volution almost covering the rest.

"_Ovula_, you will recollect, was formerly confounded with the _Bulla_ genus: the form is egg-shaped, the outer lip toothed in one division, smooth in the other; the shells are white and polished, particularly _O. oviformis_, the poached-egg, from the Moluccas.

"_O. volva_, the weaver's-shuttle, is a rare and highly-valued species. It is nearly globular in the middle, and is terminated at each extremity by a long beak: it comes from the West Indies. _O. gibbosa_ is a common species; the shape is oblong, with a ridge in the centre.

[Sidenote: CYPRÆA. TRIVIA.]

"You can be at no loss on seeing the shells of _Cypræa_, a large and beautiful genus, which remained unchanged for a long time. Lately, we find a few of the small species are become a new genus, _Trivia_.

"The character of the _Cypræa_ is a longitudinal aperture, toothed, in the adult state, on each side. The spire is scarcely to be seen.

"While the shells are young they have the appearance of a _Voluta_ or a cone; the aperture spreads more, and is without teeth.

"The individuals of each species pass through three different states:

"In the first, the form is very imperfect; it is like a thin cone, and shows no character of the genus; hence young students are perplexed if they chance to have a young cowry in their collection.

"In the second state, the shell is still thin, with a _projecting_ spire; but attains its proper form.

"In the third, or adult state, the shell is thick, the colours are perfected, and the spire is very nearly concealed.

"When the animal becomes too large for its habitation, it has the power of leaving it, and forming a new one.[D]

[D] Lamarck.

[Sidenote: CYPRÆA.]

"The inhabitant of the _Cypræa_ shells has two tentacula of a conic form, and finely pointed; the foot discous, and sometimes tongue-shaped. The mantle is two-lobed, with wing-like margins, capable of being turned back over the shell: this mantle preserves the shell from injury when the animal issues forth in search of food. The genus abounds both in the old and new world; but the larger kind chiefly in warm climates. They live on the coast, and are generally found under stones or rolled coral. A very few species are natives of the European seas.

"The tiger-cowry is before you; a large and very common species in collections; it also frequently adorns the mantel-piece. There is a remarkable line extending along the back of the shell; at this part the edges of the _mantle_, that I have before noticed, meet: this line is conspicuous in many species.

"_C. aurora_ is a costly shell from Otaheite and New Zealand; the colour orange, with the base and extremities white. It is large, and has been sold for 60_l._ when a specimen has been obtained without any perforation. The shell is worn by the New Zealand chiefs as a badge of honour.

"_C. exanthema_ changes its appearance greatly as it advances in growth. While young, three bands extend over the back, which in its adult state disappear, and the fawn-coloured ground is spotted over with numerous white circular marks.

[Sidenote: CYPRÆA.]

"_C. mauritania_, the moor, is a fine species, with very black sides, and tawny-yellow back with spots. It is a native of Java.

"_C. caput-serpentis_, the serpent's-head, has dark sides, with white fauces: the back is covered with net-work colouring: the fauces, you must remember, are the narrow entrances at each end of the shell.

"_C. Isabella_, the orange-tip, with pale flesh-colour back, and the fauces orange-colour.

"_C. Arabica_ is a common species in collections.

"_C. mappa_ is varied with deep brown or yellow lines and spots: the dorsal line is laciniated.

"_C. talpa_, the mole, has the back fawn-colour, with three zones of pale yellow; the base and sides sometimes nearly black. It comes from Madagascar.

"_C. vitellus_, the fallow-deer, is fawn-colour, covered with small white spots: from the Indian Ocean.

"The wasp, _C. asellus_, is white, with three brown bands.

"_C. helvola_, the star-cowry, has the sides dark orange; the fawn-coloured back studded with small spots. It comes from the Maldives.

"_C. moneta_, the money-cowry, is generally white, sometimes yellow.

[Sidenote: TÆREBELLUM. OLIVA. TRIVIA.]

"_C. annulus_, the ring-cowry, has a yellow mark round the top of the shell. The fowl-cowry, _C. moneta_, is used for money by the natives of Siam and Bengal.

"_C. pediculus_ is changed to _Trivia_, a new sub-genus from _Cypræa_. We find the following characters:--form of the columella internally concave, ribbed; shell sub-globular, cross-ribbed. _T. carnea_, flesh-coloured shell; thin, pure rose-coloured, with very thin, distant ribs; lips whitish: it has sometimes an indistinct dorsal groove.

"_Trivia Europæa_ (_Cypræa_ of authors) is a globose shell, ash or flesh-coloured, with three black dots and a whitish dorsal streak; ribs close, rather thick, and whitish; base white; outer lip wide. The variety has the back without spots. _T. pediculus_ has six square dorsal spots; the colour of the shell pale red; ribs rather thick-covered; dorsal line narrow; base reddish. Only one species, _C. Europæa_ (or _Trivia_) is a native of our shores.

"There are several fossil species of _Cypræa_.

"We now pass on to a genus in which there is but one recent species, _Terebellum subulatum_, _Bulla_ of Linnæus. (See Frontispiece.) A fossil _Terebellum_ is found in London clay.

[Sidenote: ANCILLA. CONUS.]

"The _Oliva_ genus contains smooth, shining shells, common, and therefore little valued; nevertheless they are beautiful, and of various colours.

"The columella is obliquely striated; the aperture longitudinal and straight. The olives were placed by Linnæus among the _Volutæ_, on account of the striæ on the columella, without regard to the peculiarity of the _canal_, by which the olives are known from all other shells. This canal separates the _volutions_ of _Oliva_. Many species are prettily marked by nature, others are rendered handsome by polishing. _O. subulata_ is small, and pointed like a mitre. The common olive is white, with brown, waved lines. _O. irrisans_ is ornamented with yellow zigzag lines: it has two brown zones. _O. oriza_, the little rice-olive, is white.

"I should have noticed the small genus _Ancilla_, formerly _Ancillaria_, which is very near both to _Terebellum_ and _Oliva_. The columella has a varix at the base, which distinguishes it from _Terebellum_, and it wants the canal which separates the volutions of _Oliva_.

"There are several fossil species.

"The concluding genus of the third order is very large, and contains rare and costly shells. This is _Conus_, scarcely to be mistaken for any other genus except _Voluta_, and that only at a first glance.

[Sidenote: CONUS.]

"The species are covered with an epidermis, sometimes very thick; the spire has various degrees of elevation, sometimes almost flat; the operculum very small and horny. They are natives of southern and tropical seas: the animal is carnivorous: found in sandy mud, at various depths of the ocean. The species are very numerous--Lamarck makes 181 recent. Some new species have lately been discovered. Many of the cones are very beautiful, both in shape and colour, and the genus has been always in estimation among collectors. The _gloria-maris_, _cedonulli_, _ammiralis_, and some others, have been sold at very high prices, and some of the finest of these are now in England.

"Lamarck makes two divisions: in the first is comprehended the species with coronated spires; the second those with simple spires; the latter division contains far the greater number.

"Fossil cones occur, in London clay and crag, in England.

"No recent species are found upon our own coasts.

"_Conus Hebræus_, the Hebrew-cone, is easily known: (Plate 6:) it has a white ground, and square black markings.

"_Conus virgo_ is white, with a purple base.

[Sidenote: CONUS.]

"_C. marmoreus_ is a fine shell. Numerous species are within reach of your purses, and I do not doubt that you will soon acquire a good collection at a moderate price. You, Charles, will find more pleasure in a cone than in a top; and Lucy, who never found much pleasure in toys except in taking them to pieces, has always a ready sixpence either for a poor neighbour in distress, or for some harmless pleasure.

"We have yet two more orders of _Mollusca_ to notice, the _Cephalopoda_ and the _Heteropoda_.

"At our next lesson I shall mention the genera that are most likely to come under your observation, either fossil or recent."