50 Beautiful Shells. 
is found in the Indian Ocean, from whence it is 
also brought. Fig. 2, the Woodcock’s Head (M. 
haustellum), from the Latin haustus—a draught ; 
the bill of the Woodcock being adapted for sucking. 
This term is also applied to insects that live by 
suction. The shell, it will be seen, is destitute of 
spines, but it is ribbed and beautifully marked. Fig.3 
is worthy of its name—the Royal Murex (M. regius), 
from regno—to reign. It is a splendid species, 
of the rich colouring of which art can give but a 
faint impression. It is brought from the western 
coast of Central and South America, where, as well 
as in the islands of the South Pacific, many new 
shells of the genus Murex have been discovered. 
One shell found on our own coast, often mistaken 
for a Whelk, is the Pelican’s-foot Strombus, called 
‘in scientific language, Strombus pes-pelicanus, which 
is but a Latinized form of the English name. This 
shell varies greatly in shape in different stages of 
its growth, and by an inexperienced conchologist, 
the young, middle-aged, and old Strombus might 
be taken for distinct species. In the Strombide 
family, so called we know not why, the same word 
in Latin meaning a kind of shell-fish, are some 
Species which have produced pearls. One member 
of the family which we sometimes see in collections, 
