UNIVALVES. — VOLUTA. 85 



actly like a human ear; such aretlie Voluta auris-Midoe 

 (Midas' ear), auris-Sileni, Judae, Malchi, &c. The three 

 first are found in the fens, marshy-woods, and swai^ips 

 of India, and are numbered among the varieties of the ge- 

 nus. The last is an inhabitant of New Caledonia, and is 

 also rare. The fusiform or spindle-shaped volutes con- 

 stitute a large portion of the genus, and are iisually known 

 by the name of mitres; sonie of them are very elegantly 

 formed and finely tinted in their coloring. 



The species most generally known among tjiesearelhe 

 Voluta patriarchalis, theVoluta cardinalis, papaliis (po]>e's 

 mitre), and episcopalis or bishop's mitre, which is fre- 

 quent hi India; but the inhabitant or fish is said to be pf 

 a poisonous nature, if eaten, and to wound with a kind 

 of pointed trunk those who touch it. The natives of the 

 island of Tauna fix the shells in handles, and use them as 

 hatchets. Among the rest of the elongated form may be 

 enumerated the Voluta sanguisuga, caffra, vidpecula, 

 plicaria, and others, some of wliich are considered rare. 



The Voluta musica, or music shell, though not rare is 

 very interesting, from the circumstance of ha. ing its 

 markings arranged in parallel lines, like the five lines or 

 a stave in music, upon which are placed sjuall dots or 

 punctures, in exact resemblance of the notes and other 

 characters used in music. The wild music or bat Volute 

 (Voluta vespertilio) is a curious variety of the above; as 

 is also the Voluta Hebraea, which is esteemed a rarity. 



Among the more beautiful species of the Volutes, the 

 Voluta vexillum or orange flag Volute, is most conspicu- 

 ous, and, in point of rarity, it yields to few. The Voluta 

 lapponica, scapfia, and Magellanica, also are in great 

 esteem. 



The Volutes, with few cxceplionb.arcihcllsofasmoolh 



