CONUS.— Plate XXV. 



what obsoletely punctured or articulated with 

 white; spire very elevated, apex rather obtuse. 



Lamarck, Anim. sans vert., vol. vii. p. 516. 

 Conus aulicus, var., Bruguiere. 



Hab. Ceylon, Mauritius, &c. 



Variety /3. (Fig. 141 b.) 



Testa elongatior, roseo-castanea, maculis triangularibus 

 pallide roseis. 



Shell more elongated, rose-chestnut, with the trian- 

 gular spots pale rose. 

 Conus aulicus, var., Sowerby. 



Hab. Isle of Annaa or Chain Island, Pacific Ocean 

 (found on the reefs) ; Cuming. 



Although the Conus auratus may be commonly di- 

 stinguished from the Conus aulicus by its orange or rose 

 tint, and more cylindrically-elongated form, it has not 

 been separated on those grounds by Lamarck. The 

 difference which this acute conchologist detected, is that 

 of the transverse lines in the species under consideration 

 being more or less spotted or articulated with small white 

 dots or punctures. " Ses lignes transverses," says La- 

 marck, " articulees de points blancs, quoique peu appa- 

 rentes, mais dont on appercoit toujours des vestiges, Ten 

 distinguent constamment." This punctured articulation 

 is not however peculiar to the Conus auratus; it occurs in 



the Coni episcopus, magnificus, and other reticulated 

 species. They have nevertheless their specific peculia- 

 rities, and I see no reason why this simple distinction 

 between the Coni aulicus and auratus should not be ob- 

 served if only to facilitate the arrangement of the long 

 and very difficult series of reticulated or brocaded Cones. 



Species 142. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Conus Orion. Con. testd turbinate!, transversim striata ; 

 castaned, albo sparsim maculatd, balteo albo, castaneo 

 super ne tessellato, mediane cinctd ; spird mediocri, 

 albo castaneoque maculatd. 



The Orion Cone. Shell turbinated, transversely striated, 

 chestnut-colour, sparingly spotted with white and 

 encircled round the middle with a white band, tes- 

 sellated on the upper part with chestnut ; spire ordi- 

 nary, spotted with white and chestnut. 



Broderip, Pro. Zool. Soc, 1833. 



Sowerby, Conch. Illus., f. 40. 



Hab. Real Llejos, Central America (found in soft sand 

 in the clefts of rocks) ; Cuming. 



In some specimens of this shell, the remains, as it 

 were, of a blotched moniliform band may be traced be- 

 tween the white central belt and the spire. 



