MUREX. 115 



Gambol around him on the watery way, 

 Aud heavy whales in awkward measures play, 

 Till parting waves before his coursers fly, 

 And wondering waters leave his axle dry ; 

 Where in the bay his shining palace stands, 

 Eternal frame, not raised by mortal hands." 



Tritons are widely distributed. Of a hundred species, 

 illustrated in the *" Conchologia Iconica/ the greater number 

 are from the Molucca and Philippine Islands, some few 

 from the western coast of America, some from China, several 

 from ISTew Holland, Ceylon, and Mozambique ; one or two 

 are from the Mediterranean, the Cape of Good Hope, the 

 West Indies, and the United States. 



Murices include all shells of this family which have 

 more than two varices on a whorl. Of these the numbers 

 displayed by what may be termed the typical species of the 

 genus, is three, imparting a triangular structure to the shell, 

 which has been likened to the cal thorp of the ancients, a 

 three-sided instrument of war, that was scattered on the 

 field of battle, in order to impede the progress of horsemen. 



Beyond the number of tliree, the varices are irregular, 

 following one the other in such rapid succession as almost 

 to lose their distinctive character. 



Beautiful as regards their architectural embellishments 

 1 % 



