No. 20. CONUS. 

 Cone Shell. Inhabitant a Slug. 



Shell univalve, convoluted and turbinated, aperture or opening efflute, lon- 

 gitudinal, linear, toothless, with the base entire, pillar smooth; the total num- 

 ber of the spires in this genus, in the last edition of the Systema Naturae, 

 amounts to seventy-one. Many of the Cone tribe are beautiful shells, and 

 bear high prices. Of this genus is the Conus Gloria Maris, which was lately 

 sold at auction, in London, for the sum of £54 sterling, or $250. The Cedo 

 Nulli was formerly sold for three hundred guineas. 



Most of the Cone shells are covered with an epidermis, under which the 

 surface bears a most brilliant polish. All the species are marine, and are 

 generally found on rocky coasts. There is no genus, throughout the whole 

 of the shell tribes, which holds so important a station in cabinets or collections 

 as Cones; and it is difficult to decide whether they are most to be valued for 

 their rarity or beauty. The Admiral Cone ranks first; of this, the varieties 

 are incalculable: next comes the Vice Admiral, Guinea Admirals, and others 

 equally rare; most of which, when fine, are of high price in England— from 

 five to twenty guineas. 



There is perhaps no other species, which affords so much beauty and di- 

 versity of coloring and making as the Cone. The species Literatus, for in- 

 stance, has its spots arranged in such a manner, as often to resemble Hebrew, 

 Greek, or Arabic characters. In other species, the colors assume different 

 shades of cloudings, veins, marblings, dots, stripes, brands, &c. &c, each 

 surpassing the other in beauty and elegance. 



DIVISION I. Spiral subtruncated. 

 Family 1st. Spire coronated. 



Scientific name. Locality. Scientific name. Locality. 



Marmoreus, E. & W. Indies, Asiatic Imperialis, Amboyna, S. Seas, Mau- 



Ocean. rt I ltm \, 



Nocturnus, Amboyna, Moluccas. Fuscatus, So. Seas, Mauritius, 



Nicobaricus, East Indian Seas. . Tranquebar. 



Arachnoideus, Coroman., Tranquebar. Candidus, 



Zonatus, Asiatic Ocean. 



