of all the marine snail shells, the common blance of the surface of the shell to a mu- 



black whelk (Nassa obsoleta) being the sical staff, the spiral limes being grouped 



most common of all the mollusks. The in sets of four or five and the dots being 



writer has seen a mud flat at low water arranged as notes. In some specimens 



literally paved with : the shells of this snail, this resemblance is quite close. The 



there being millions of the little crea- smooth and polished shell of some vol- 



tures crawling about. The shells of this utes is due to the fact that the greater 



family are frequently very handsome, be- portion is covered by a reflected part of 



ing latticed by the crossing of lateral and the large foot. 



longitudinal lines. They are mostly of On the sandy shores of subtropical 



small size, scarcely exceeding an inch in beaches certain graceful and polished ani- 



length, many of them being much under mals bury themselves from sight in the 



these dimensions. The animal is very sand. These are the olive shells (Oliva) 



rapid in movement and leaves a distinct whose bright colors and highly polished 



track in the mud, which will frequently surfaces rival even the gaudy Volute in 



end at a little pellet of mud, which, upon beauty. The foot may be described as 



examination, will disclose the little ani- plough-shaped and is admirably adapted 



mal nicely concealed beneath. for digging rapidly in the sand, so that 



The Nassas of France are very de- the shell may be hidden from sight on the 

 structive to the oyster beds of that na- approach of enemies. The long siphon is 

 tion, an adult "borer" being able to per- thrust up through the canal in the an- 

 forate the shell of a large oyster in a sin- terior part of the shell and its end pro- 

 gle night. So numerous are these pests trudes above the sand. The high polish 

 that a single acre has yielded over a thou- of the surface is due to the shell being 

 sand individuals. As a result of these enveloped in the voluminous foot; hence 

 depredations the French oystermen carry it has no epidermis. The aperture is so 

 on a relentless war against the Nassa, de- narrow that it is difficult to understand 

 stroying thousands of animals annually, how the animal gets in and out. The 

 With all this persecution the mollusk still olives arc very numerous in individuals ; 

 exists and even increases in numbers, when one is found hundreds are sure to 

 The dead shells of this genus are a fa- reward a patient search, 

 vorite home for the hermit crabs of small Probably no more distinct family of 

 size, and it is to be suspected sometimes mollusks exists than the Conidae, the 

 that other than dead shells are appro- family of cones, their beautifully deco- 

 priated. We fear that a sort of piracy is rated shells and the large number of spe- 

 resorted to by^the hermit crab, resulting cies making them a favorite with collect- 

 in a kind of "walk-the-plank" end for the ors. The shell is in the form of an invert- 

 mollusk, before the new tenant takes pos- ed cone, gracefully rounded, the aper- 

 session of the "home." ture being but a narrow slit extending 



Of the many varieties of tropical shells, nearly the whole length of the shell. The 

 few exceed the Volutes, or bat shells, in colors of the cones are always very bril- 

 beauty or variety of coloration. They liant. although when they are alive the 

 are found in most parts of the world, al- shell is not brilliantly polished as the 

 though strangely enough none are now olives, on account of the presence of an 

 living in the seas of Europe, but they are epidermis. About three hundred species 

 most abundant and more highly colored are known, living principally in tropical 

 in the tropics and subtropics. The ani- seas. They love to conceal themselves in 

 mal is carnivorous, and the long, fang- holes in the rocks and among the 

 shaped teeth are certainly suggestive of branches of corals. The animal is pre- 

 predaceous habits. The shells are vari- daceous, boring into the shells of other 

 ously colored, some being mottled, some mollusks ami extracting the juices from 

 with zigzag or lightning-like markings, the bodies. The teeth of Conus are hoi- 

 while others have spirally arranged dots low and very sharp and have a barb on 

 and lines. One species (Voluta nrusica, - the end. A poison gland is said to be 

 figured on the plate), has received its present in this genus and bites from the 

 name from a more or less fanciful resem- animal are very painful, although not 



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