UNIVALVES- CYPR.r.A. 77 



tliis denomination are sndi a<3 the Cyprcra nurlcnfl, ri- 

 cercula, staphykea, &c. &c. all of wliich have bnt little 

 coloring, and are completely rongh, from Juninfi^ their sur- 

 faces covered with small globular tuberculations or warts. 



In the Cyprsea pediculus, the shell, though rough, is 

 not indebted to tuberculations for its rugte, but to ap- 

 proximate parallel elevated ribs or stria', which cover 

 the whole of the shell. 



There are four divisions in the Cypraea; the first in- 

 cludes those that have a manifest spire, such as the Cy- 

 praea Arabic.a (the nutmeg- cowry), Cypraea amethystea 

 (the young of Arabica) ; Cypraea exanthema, Cypraea 

 plumbea (the young of exantiiema); Cypraea oculata, 

 and others. 



Those, on the contrary, which are without a manifest 

 spire, class with such as the Cyprasa caput-serj^entis 

 (the seipent's head), Cypraea Mauritiana and moneta; 

 the last of which, the Cypraea moneta, is fished-up by 

 the negro women, three days before or after full-moon, 

 and transported into Bengal, Siam, America, and the ad- 

 jacent islands; where it is used by the native blacks iu 

 commerce, instead of money. 



The third division is composed of the umbilicated or 

 perforated varieties; such as the Cypraea ziczac, asellus, 

 &c. And those species which are marginated form the 

 fourth class : as for instance, the Cypraea moneta, annulus, 

 &c. 



One of the rarest, most valuable, and largest cowries 

 is the Cypraea aurantium, or orange cowry, which is 

 found, though very rarely, at the Friendly Isles. One of 

 the rarities of the smaller sorts of cowries is the Cypraea 

 rubiginosi, or iron-mould cowry. 



The grand mark of distinction in the cowries is, that. 



