UNIVALVES. MUREX. 101 



those of the two preceding genera, consists in the beak ; 

 which, unhke them, neither inchnes to the right nor left, 

 but is ahiiost invariably straight, and very much pro- 

 duced, sometimes turning a little upwards. 



The murices are mostly shells of unequal form, arising 

 from their surfaces being usually covered with spines, 

 knobs, striae, or foliations. There is one division which 

 is peculiar for the uncommon length of beak, which most 

 of its spedes are remarked for; the principal of which 

 is the Murex haustellum or snipe's-head, and the Mu- 

 rex tribuUis, of which there are two varieties, the 

 commoner sort being called the thorny woodcock, 

 and the rarer, after the French, peigne de Venus, or 

 Venus's comb, which is not only considered a rarity, but 

 is perhaps one of the most elegant shells throughout the 

 genus. To this same division belong also the Murex 

 cornutus or horned snipe's-head, and Murex brandaris 

 or thorny snipe's head ; the former of which grows to a 

 considerable size, and is by no means common. 



The Venus' comb, when perfect, is most beautifully 

 adorned with thin and delicate spines, exquisitely ad- 

 justed in regular order, and placed in rows down the 

 shell. The name it bears is exceedingly applicable. The 

 next division includes those that have a much shorter 

 beak, and are not spinous; such are the Murex truncu- 

 lus, Murex pomum, Murex decussatus and radix; the 

 latter of which is very highly rated, it grows to a con- 

 siderable size, and its shell is beset with numerous rows 

 of frondose, black, undulate spines ; which, being con- 

 trasted with opaque-white, renders it at once an object 

 of great beauty and magnificence. 



The next class or division of tlie Murices, comprises 

 those species which arc commonly known as triplices, or 



