94 UNIVALVES. STROMBUS. 



beautiful, having their mouths of a scarlet, pink, or orange 

 color, and the interior of their shells of a rich blue, pur- 

 ple, or yellow color. 



The turreted species, which constitute the shells of the 

 fourth division, are distinguished into two classes: the 

 one having a longitudinal fissure extending from the aper- 

 ture to the summit; and the other, by having a length- 

 ened spire, resembling the murices. Of this class, the 

 two varieties of the S. fusus are characteristic examples. 

 One variety has a short subulate beak, but the other, usu« 

 ally called the long-beaked spindle, is much more taper- 

 ing and delicate, and its beak, when perfect, 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 col- 

 lections. Of the first class, the S. tuberculatus; S. pa- 

 lustris, from the meadows or savannahs of the Indian 

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

 atus, from the marshes of Africa, are sufficient examples. 



It may be observed, that the three last are land species, 

 and are characterized by having their whirls more or less 

 beset with sharp knobs or prickly spines. The Strom- 

 bus sinister, which is found fossil in Helvetia, is remark- 

 able for having its whirls turned contrary. The S. fis- 

 surella is sometimes to be met with in India in a recent 

 state, but is more frequently found fossil in Campania 

 and in England. 



The African, Indian, American, and European oceans 

 produce many species of this genus; and the Mediterra- 

 nean, Red, and Arctic seas, only a few. 



