4^ JBeautiful Shells, 



smootli^ delicate sliell^ and to come from tlie same 

 root as FhysaJltGj wliicli means a topaz : tlie members 

 of tMs genus are very numerous^ being found nearly 

 all over tlie globe. The next belongs to tlie family 

 Auriculadcej or Ear Shells. The Midas^ Ear {A. 

 Midce), this handsome shell is prized by collectors ; 

 it comes from the East Indies. Midas, it is said, 

 was one who set himself up for a judge of music in 

 the old fabulous times_, and not appreciating that of 

 ApollOj was rewarded by the angry god with. a pair 

 of ass^s earSc 



The Cone-shaped Mclampus {M. corniformis), 

 also an Ear Shell, is found in the rivers of the 

 Antilles Islands. It is a pretty shell; the formation 

 is much the same as that of many of the most highly- 

 prized varieties of Marine Shells ; of these we shall 

 have to speak presently. Melampodium in Latin^ 

 signifies a poisonous plant called Black Hellebore > 

 in the Mythology, Melampus was a gTcat magician, 

 who did all sorts of wonderful things; but we 

 cannot tell what relation there exists between either 

 the plant or the magician and this pretty cone shell. 

 To give variety to this group, we will now throw in 

 a land species called Megasjnra Busclienhergiana, 

 about the origin of whose name we cannot even 

 liazard a guess; the termination of the generic name^ 



