28 



EOCK SHELLS. 



— the Royal Murex, {M. regius,) from regno — to reign. It is 

 a splendid species, of the rich colouring of which, art can 

 give but a faint impression. It is brought from the western 

 coast of Central and South America, where, as well as in the 

 islands of the South Pacific, many new shells of the genus 

 Murex have been discovered. 



One shell found on our own coast, often mistaken for a 

 Whelk, is the Pelican's-foot Strombus, called in scientific 

 language, Strombus pes-pelicanus, which is but a Latinized form 

 of the English name. This shell varies greatly in shape in 

 different stages of its growth, and by an inexperienced con- 

 chologist, the young, middle-aged, and old Strombus, might be 

 taken for distinct species. In the Stromhidce family, so called 

 we know not why, the same word in Latin meaning a kind 

 of shell-fish, are some species which have produced pearls. 

 One member of the family which we sometimes see in collec- 

 tions, is a large and very beautiful shell; this is the Broad- 

 winged Strombus, {S. latissimus,) probably from latesco — to 

 wax or grow broad, or large; issimus being in the superlative 

 degree, would indicate that this shell was very much so, as 

 we find it is, sometimes measuring as much as twelve inches 

 across. In Plate II, is a representation of this handsome shell, 

 greatly reduced in size, of course: see Fig. 4. We here 

 give a figure, as more curious than beautiful, of the Scorpion 



Pteroceras, [P. scorpius,) which also belongs to the Strom - 

 hidoe family; as does the curious Chinese Spindle, {Rostellaria 

 rectirostris.) The generic name of the first of these species, 

 comes from the Greek Ptero, pronounced tero, meaning a wing, 



