OCowries. 69 
COWRIES. 
Of Cowries we have already spoken in our 
chapter on the Uses of Shells. They are among 
the commonest of our testaceous ornaments, and 
are remarkable, especially the foreign kinds, for 
richness and diversity of colour, and the high. 
polish which they bear. The native species are 
small plain shells, commonly called Pigs, from 
some real or fancied resemblance which they bear 
to the swine. They are pretty little white-ribbed 
shells, and are tolerably plentiful on various parts 
of the British coasts. There are three kinds— 
namely, the Louse Pig or Nun Cowry, the Flesh- 
coloured, and European Pig Cowries. The first of 
these is of a pale reddish colour, with six square 
black spots on the back; the second is a beautiful 
rose tint; and the third is ash-coloured or pinkish, 
with three black dots and a white streak down 
the back. The Money Cowry (Cyprea moneta), 
used as current coin in many parts of India, as 
well as on the coast of Guinea, is a yellow and 
white shell, with a single band of the former 
colour ; it is small of size, and is sometimes called 
the Trussed Chicken, for the same reason as the 
term Pigs is applied to its British relatives. These 
