PeriiuiuMe, 55 



George's Sound. Fig. 5 is called Cook's Tarbo 

 {T. Cooldi) ; tliis is a handsome South Sea shell, 

 oftentimes of large size. It has been found in great 

 numbers on the coast of New Zealand. 



On Plate lY. we have placed two very cariously 

 formed and marked shells^ called Wentletraps, also 

 belonging to the family Turhinidce. The scientific 

 name is Scalar la, from the Latin scala — a ladder, 

 which the ribbed shells are supposed to resemble. 

 Of this genus there are about eighty distinct species 

 known ; they are mostly deep-sea shells found in 

 warm latitudes, although several inhabit the Eu- 

 ropean seas, and one, the Common False Wentle- 

 trap {S. communis). Fig. 1, may often be picked up 

 on our own shores. Fig. 2, the Royal Staircase 

 "VYentletrap, is a rare and valuable shell, generally 

 brought from India and China ; the scientific name 

 is S. ipretiosa, given to it by the French naturalisb 

 Lamarck, on account of the high price which it 

 fetched ; iwetlose, in Latin, meaning costly, valuable. 

 As much as £100 have been given for a single 

 specimen of this shell; and a fine one, especially 

 if it exceed two inches in length, yet commands a 

 considerable sum, although not nearly so much as 

 that. A good deal like the False Wentletrap in 

 general outline, is the Awl-shaped Turritella, found 



