68 



TURBINELLA, 



to the systematist. The dentition of Imbricaria, Schnm., a i>:roiip 

 of MitridfB, differs radically from the t^^pe of that family and 

 approaches closely to TurhineUn — that is, if Troschel has cor- 

 rectly identified the mollusk examined by him; but the species 

 are so essentially Mitrae in other characters that to separate them 

 from that family Avould be very inexpedient. 



T. PYRUiM, Linn. PI. 19, figs. 1-3, 5-7. 



Whitish or yellowish white, under a thick, light olive epidermis ; 

 sometimes irregularly sprinkled Avith chestnut-colored spots; 

 interior of aperture and columella yellowish to orange-brown. 



Length, 4-7 inches. 



Ceylon. 



T. rapa, Gmel. (fig. 5), = gravis, Dillw.,= clavata, Wagn.,= 

 napus, Lam. (fig. 3), is distinguished by most authors on account 

 of its more swollen growth and absence of spots, but the 

 distinction does nothold good, the shell becoming more swollen 

 and less spotted with increase in size; like our Virginia Deer 

 the spotted coat is a juvenile condition of which, however, 

 traces sometimes remain, or rather recur, in the adult shell. I 

 figure a A-ery curious planorboid monstrosity (figs. 6,7), existing 

 in the Museum of the University of Ghent. 



The shankh or chank is the sacred shell of the Hindus, and 

 the national emblem of tlie Kingdom of Travancore. The god 

 Vishnu is represented as carrying a chank shell in one hand and 

 a chakra in the other. 



The Hindus believe that unless they worshiped this shell at 

 the commencejnent of every worship or prayer, their offerings 

 would not be accepted. The first incarnation of Vishnu, called 

 Machhjivatar (which literally means transformation into a fish), 

 was undertaken for destroying Shankhasura (the giant chank 

 shell), in order to regain the Vedas, lie having stolen them and 

 taken refuge under the ocean. 



The fishery for these shells is principally carried on in the 

 Gulf of Manaar, in the vicinity of Ceylon, and on the coast of 

 Coromandel, at Travancore, Tuticorin, and other places, the 

 shells being brought up by divers in about two or three fathoms of 

 water. Those taken with the animal in, and called green chanks, 



