10 THE NAUTILUS. 



along the Florida west coast, in thirty to fifty feet of water, where it 

 attains fullest growth. But it is also found from Key West to 

 Miami, perhaps farther north, on the east coast. These specimens, 

 sharing exanthema's habitat, show some reasonable variation from 

 the west coast specimens, chiefly, however, in coloring. 



The shell of cervus is not cylindrical, it is dome shape, inflated, 

 swollen, with a rounded fullness of body extending to extremities. 

 Anterior opening large, three times as large as exanthema, other 

 dimensions being equal. The anterior opening is not depressed. 

 The larger head and neck of cervus is always out in search of food 

 which it prefers to seek in the open waters. It is a constant traveler 

 and must have room for easy manipulation of head and foot. 



Mantles of cervus, when young, are steely grey. Pustules and 

 papillae, shorter than exanthema, are milky white and remain so. 

 There are no color ducts. There seems to be an absence of nerve 

 ganglia ; the papillae are not sensitive. Spots more numerous and 

 solid white, sometimes confused. The mantle-guides (not " teeth ! ") 

 are usually irregular in cervus. Color, pale brown to ashy grey, on 

 West Coast, where it never goes to mangroves. On East Coast it 

 takes on exanthema coloring and the anterior opening is slightly 

 smaller. Exertion for food is not necessary. Length, four to seven 

 incites. Altitude, two to four inches. 



Cypraea cervus is not found on the West Coast of America. It 

 is not found at Panama. The writer has yet to find a specimen be- 

 low Key West. Its natural habitat is West Coast of Florida. 



Cypraea cervinetta has many of the characteristics of the other 

 two. It is found under rocks at extreme low tide, near coral patches. 

 It finds a fair substitute for mangrove bark from which to extract 

 coloring matter of a purple tone that does not turn to exanthema 

 brown. Shell subcylindrical, with straight sides and flattened curves. 

 Anterior opening widened, as in cervus, but with cup-like depression 

 around the opening. It has the activity of cervus and seeks its own 

 food, which is scarce in its habitat. Like cervus, it must have free 

 room for movement. The mantles have the distinguishing features 

 of cervus and exanthema. Ring spots and solid white ones appear at 

 random on the same shell. Cervinetta never attains the size of 

 exanthema. Many specimens are fully matured when only one inch 

 long. Color, silver grey purple. Length, one to three inches. 

 Altitude, three-eighths to one inch. 



