104 UNIVALVES. — STROMBUS. 



and S. lentiginosus, in the second division, exhibit on- 

 ly faint indications of that character : but in the S. gallus, 

 S. auris-Dianas, S. latissimus, (a very rare species), and S. 

 gigas, it is remarkably prominent. Some other species 

 have nearly the same peculiarity: as the S. epidromis, the 

 S. vittatus, S. canarium, &c. These latter species never 

 grow to any magnitude; but some of the former, as the S. 

 latissimus and S. gigas, frequently attain a considerable 

 size. 



The S. luhuanus, S. gibberulus, &c. have some of their 

 whirls very gibbous, and on that account they are often 

 called Pouter-alati. Many of these are extremely beauti- 

 ful, having their mouths of a scarlet, pink, or orange colour, 

 and the interior of their shells of a rich blue, purple, or 

 yellow colour. 



The turreted species, which constitute the shells of the 

 fourth and fifth divisions, are distinguished into two 

 classes: the one having a longitudinal fissure extending 

 from the aperture to the summit; and the other, by hav- 

 ing a lengthened spire, resembling the Murices. Of the lat- 

 ter division, the two varieties of the S. fusus are character- 

 istic examples; one variety has a short subulate beak, 

 but the other, usually called the long-beaked spindle, is 

 much more tapering and delicate, and its beak, when per- 

 fect, is nearly as long as the rest of the shell. It comes 

 from the Straits of Sunda, and is considered one of the great 

 rarities in collections. Of the fifth division, the S. tuber- 

 culatus; S. palustris, from the meadows or savannahs of 

 the Indian ocean ; and S. ater, from the fens of Amboyna 

 — are sufficient examples: it may be observed, that the 

 three last are land species, and are characterized by hav- 

 ing their whirls more or less beset with sharp knobs or 

 prickly spines. 



The African, Indian, American, and European oceans 



