UNIVALVES.— C ONUS. 73 



The Conns textile (the embroidered or cloth of gold 

 cone), and Conns aniicns or conrtier cone, have their 

 shapes sometliing- Hke a cylinder, contracted at each end, 

 and nearly resembling the three following species, viz. 

 Conns tnlipa, geogrnphicus, and bnllatns; thongh they 

 are distinguished by their wide months and inflated or 

 bellied sides. 



There perhaps is no genus throughout the whole of the 

 shell tribes, which holds so important a station in collec- 

 tions as the cones; and it is difficult to decide whether 

 they are most to be valued for their rarity or beauty. 



The mention of a few of the most beautiful and va- 

 luable species, will be sufficient to give an idea how they 

 are to be appreciated. 



The Conus ammiralis or admiral cone, ranks first 

 among the beauties and rarities of this genus. Of the 

 high-admiral alone the varieties are incalculable; next 

 come the vice-admirals, guinea-admirals (Conus genu- 

 anus),and others equally rare; most of which, v/henfinc, 

 are frequently valued at from five to twenty guhieas. 

 But this valuation appears trifling when compared to 

 the sum that has been set upon thecedo-nulli; which, in- 

 credible as it may appear, amounted to no less than tliree 

 hundred guineas! 



Among the other rarities of the cone genus, the Conus 

 arausiacus is much valued, as is also the Conus glaucus 

 (the blue or grey cone), Conus magus (magician), Co- 

 nus nobilis (yellow tiger), Conus araclmoideus (spi- 

 der's-web), the Conus cingulum (box-wood cone), with 

 an elevated girdle round it, from the Friendly Isles; and 

 <he varieties of the zebra cones from the South Seas. 



Tlie g'.iicralily of rones have a smooth surface, and ia 

 nioit nistances bear a high jiatural polish; however, 



