THE AXLMAI. LIKE OF THE GROUP. 459 



The following-, translated b.y Dr. X. B. Emerson, is a i^ortion of ancient pule 

 repeated by the native doctor (kahuna) fishernuui as the baited hook was low- 

 ered to capture a squid to be used for curative purposes: 



"Here is the cowry, 



A red cowry to attract the squid to his death. 



Here is the spear, a mere stick, 



A spear of lama wood for the squid that lies flat. 



O Kanaloa of the tabu nights, 



Stand upright on the solid floor! 



Stand upon the floor where lies the squid! 



Stand up to take the squid of the deep sea! 



Bise up, Kanaloa! 



Stir up! agitate! let the squid awake! 



Let the squid that lies flat awake, the squid that lies spread out." 



Two large species related to the more familiar tiger cowry i'-' (the largest 

 of the family, and common in collections) have spots extended over the base. 

 The Arabian cowry -" has the base tinged with brown. li the spots are 

 crowded and run together, the sides thick, and the base milky or bluish-white, 

 with a dark blotch near the middle of the shell, it is the closely-related species 

 Cypnea reticulata. All three species occur in the group, and, like most of the 

 larger forms, were used as food by the Hawaiians. A small form usually 

 about an inch in length, that is ashy-fulvous, without spots, and has the teeth 

 white and the extremities saffron-red (that is usually collected in the group), 

 is Isabella's cowry. 2' 



A curious species of cowiy, occurring ((uite commonly in the islands, 

 belongs to the group in which the shell is covered with little nodules. It is a 

 wide-ranging form, known as the Madagascar cowry,-- and is a species in 

 which the ridges on the outer lip are alternately large and small. The list of 

 rare or occasional species could easily be extended into a small volume. 



Five minute white or pinkish species of the coffee-bean shell -'■ have been 

 reported from Hawaii. As the largest of them are less than half an inch in 

 length, they are seldom seen by amateurs. They ai'e all cowry-shaped, rather 

 roundish and curiously cross-ribbed shells that can at once be identified by 

 their resemblance to the larger members of the family. 



Egg Shells. 



The egg shells-^ are so seldom seen on our Ijeaches that a description of 

 the species seems unnecessary, farther than to say that in general form they 

 resemble the cowries, are whitish or dull in color and the extremities are usually 

 drawn out to form two canals. They differ from the family mentioned above 

 in having the inner or columella side of the aperature smooth. The shells 

 occur throughout Polynesia, whei'e in many of the islands they ai'e much 

 prized as personal ornaments. 



TtiN Shells. 



The tun shells, 2"' or wine jars, as the name given to the family signifies,-" 



'" CnpriBa lifirin. -" Ci/prwa arabica. -'' Ci/lii<rii ixabeUn. -- Cyprma madaaasi:arirnsis. 

 ''^Trivia. =' OriiUihe. -^ Doliidri:, -"An tilliision t(i their rapacious size. 



