84 



MANUAL OF THE M0LLU3CA. 



XVII. Caribbean Peoyixce. 



Tlie Gulf of Mexico, the West Indian Islands, and the eastern 

 coast of South America, as far as Eio, form, the fourth great 

 tropical region of marine life. The number of shells is esti- ■ 

 mated by Prof. C. B. Adams at not less than 1500 species. Of 

 these 500 are described byM. D'Orbignyin Eamonde la Sagra's 

 History of Cuba, and a small number of the Brazilian species 

 in the same author's Travels in South America. A list of the 

 Barbadoes shells has been given by Sir E. Schomburgk. 



The coasts of the Antilles, Bermuda, and Brazil, are fringed 

 with coral reefs, and there are considerable banks of gulf- weed 

 at some distance from the coast of the Antilles. 



West India Shells. 



