THE MUSEUM. 



17 



with an albino Pocket Gopher, killed 

 near Warren, in Marshall County, 

 about 50 miles from the Canadian line, 

 which is now in my possession." 



Showy Sea Shells. 



Interesting Notes About Shells that are 

 Eagerly Sought for by Collectors. 



To anyone interested in sea forms 

 of life, it is a pleasure to note the great 

 increase yearly in the number of col- 

 lectors who are making a study of 

 shells. Conchology furnishes a field 

 that it is practically impossible for any 

 one man to cover in a lifetime, hence 

 we see the specialist in that branch as 

 much as in any other. 



Peopling the high seas or lining the 

 shore, the marine Mollusca, branch- 

 ing out into more than ten thousand 

 species, extend their reign af far as the 

 waves of ocean roll. Though distin 

 guished from all other sea animals byi 

 the common character of a soft unar 

 ticulated body, possessing a compli 

 cated digestive apparatus, and covered 

 by a flexible skin or mantle, under or 

 over which a calcareous shell is gener- 

 ally formed by secretion, yet their 

 habits are as various as their forms. 

 Some dart rapidly through the waters, 

 others creep slowly along, or are firm- 

 ly bound to the rock; in some the 

 senses are highly developed as in the 

 fishes, in others they are confined to 

 the narrow perceptions of the polyp. 

 Many are individually so small as to 

 escape the naked eye, others of a size 

 so formidable as to rank among the 

 giants of the sea; some are harmless 

 and unarmed, others fully equipped 

 for actual warfare. 



It is not our design to go into the 

 anatomy of the various species, but to 

 show by illustrations, from month to 

 month, some of the more interesting 



Fig. I. 



forms of Mollusca, the locality where 

 found, and some interesting points 

 about each kind. 



We will first notice two of the Mit- 

 ra family. They are so-called from 

 their resemblance to the bishop's 

 mitre. The entire family are chiefly 

 natives of the warm climates, such as 

 the Indian Ocean, the Australian Seas 



Fig. 2. 



and the Moluccas. The shells are 

 usually long, slender and spiral, the 

 spire ending in a point at the summit; 

 the opening is small, narrow and tri- 

 angular and notched in front. The 

 animal has a very long proboscis; it 

 emits a purple liquid, having a nause- 

 ous odor when irritated. The eyes 

 are placed on the tentacles or at their 



Fig. 3- 



