Cowries.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



231 



colour, freckled with yellow ; the base is white and 

 flat ; the teeth large. 



Leaving the genus Cypraea and its subgenera, the 

 following genera are described by Mr. Gray, viz. : 

 Luponia, Cypraeovula, Trivia, Erato, and Ovulum. 



In the genus Luponia the shell resembles that of 

 a Cvproea, but the anterior part of the columellar 

 lip IS crossed by several irregular ridges without any 

 distinct marginal one, and is internally narrow and 

 flat. The shell is pear-shaped, smooth or cross- 

 ribbed. Mr. Gray enumerates five species. 



2762. — The Alcoa Lupon 



(^Luponia Algoeims, Gray). This species, which is 

 found about the Cape of Good Hope, in Algoa Bay, 

 &c., has the shell of a pale colour, dotted with 

 brown; the margin is dotted with black ; the teeth 

 of the inner lip are very small. A variety occurs 

 with the teeth more or less obliterated. 



The genus Cyprseovula is allied to Cypraea, but 

 the anterior end of the columella is covered with 

 regular cross-ribs, like the re.st of the base, internally 

 produced into an acute toothed ridge. The shell is 

 pear-shaped and cross-ribbed. 



2763. — Thb Cape Cvpileovula 



(Ci/praovula Capensis). Mr. Gray gives this as the' 

 only species of the present genus : it is extremely 

 rare. The general colour is pale brown ; the ribs 

 are very thin. Its native locality is the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



The genus Trivia closely resembles Cyprieovula, 

 but the front of the columella internally is concave 

 and ribbed ; the shell is subglobular and cross- 

 ribbed. 



Subdivision a has the mouth wide, the outer lip 

 slightly inflexed ; the shell equally ribbed. Mr. 

 Gray enumerates five species. 



2764. — TuE Flesu-coloi/Red Pig-Cowey 



(Trivia carnea). The little shells of the genus 

 Trivia, which occur along the shores of Europe, are, 

 from some fancied resemblance, termed Pigs on our 

 coast; Porcelli in Italy. Mr. (iray, indeed, observes 

 that the common name for Cowries, Porcelain (or 

 Les Porcelaines), is t; ken from an imaginary simi- 

 larity between these shells and pigs, and refers to 

 Fabius Colonna. The present species is oblong, 

 thin, pellucid, and of a pure rose colour, with very 

 thin distant continued ribs. The lips are whitish. 

 A variety presents an indistinct dorsal groove. 



Subdivision /3, with the mouth narrowish, the 

 outer lip wide, and the ribs of the back subequal 

 and linear. Mr. Gray enumerates eighteen species. 



2765. — The Ecropean Pig-Cowrt 



(Trivia Eiiropcea, Gray). Cyprsea Europa;a, Lam. 



The shell of this species is ovate-subglobose, ash 

 or flesh coloured, with three black dots and a 

 whitish dorsal streak. The ribs are close, rather 

 thick, and whitish. The base is white ; the outer 

 lip wide. 



A variety with the back unspotted, and with an 

 indistinct dorsal groove, is referred by Mr. Gray to 

 the Cyprsea arctica, Montf. 



The young shells are white and smooth. 



Referring to Fig. 2765, a a represent the adult 

 shell in two positions ; b b the young shell. 



Subdivision 7, with the mouth narrowish, the outer 

 lip arched, and with the ribs enlarged or tubercular 

 near the dorsal groove. 



Seven species are enumerated. 



2766, 2767.— The Louse Pig-Cowri 



(Trivia prdiculm. Gray). Cypriea pediculus, Linn. 



This species, which is very widely spread, is of 

 an ovate form, of a pale reddish colour, with six 

 square black dorsal spots. The ribs are rather 

 thick, subrugose, and crowded ; dorsal line narrow, 

 base reddish. Mr, Gray gives the West Indies as 

 its locality. 



In the ' Proceeds. Zool. Soc.,' April 2S, 1834, will 

 be found the following passage, which may be found 

 not altogether uninteresting : — 



"Some notes by .1. B. Harvey, Esq., Corr. Memb. 

 Zool. Soc , were read ; they accompanied a collection 

 of shells and Crustacea made by the writer on the 

 coa.st of Devonshire near Teignmouth, The several 

 specimens were exhibited. 



" Among them were numerous individuals of Cy- 

 praea pediculus, Cypraea bullata, and Cypraea arctica, 



" Of the former there are two varieties, one spotted 

 and the other without spots. The spotted variety, 

 Mr. Harvey states, is generally smaller than the 

 plain one, and is less produced on the side near the 

 apex. Cypra;a bullata is found in the same locali- 

 ties as Cypraea pediculus, but it may be doubted 

 whether it is the young of that species: it is so 

 comparatively rare, that Mr. Harvey has dredged 

 up only six specimens of it, while he collected more 

 than a hundred of Cypriea pediculus. He possesses, 

 moreover, young individuals of Cypraea pediculus, 

 of smaller size than specimens of Cypraea bul- 



lata. In the latter the whorls are more produced 

 at the apex, and the shell is so delicate as to be 

 broken even by a slight fall. 



" On Cypraea arctica Mr. Harvey remarks, that, 

 though its size and appearance are in lavour of its 

 being a young shell, he hesitates in referring it to 

 the immature condition of the unspotted C. pedi- 

 culus. His principal ground for doubt is the ex- 

 treme rarity of Cypraea arctica. He inquires, how- 

 ever, whether the animal may not perhaps live 

 deeply imbedded in the sand for a certain period 

 before it comes to the surface, and thus generally 

 elude the search of the conchologist until its shell 

 becomes matured." 



Mr. Gray, as we have stated, refers the Cypraea 

 arctica to the Trivia Europaea as a variety. 



Fig. 2767 represents the Trivia pediculus with 

 the living animal ; its reflected mantle is seen 

 covering the shell as it, crawls on its expanded foot, 

 a is a view of the upper surface ; b, a lateral view. 



Subdivision 5, with the mouth narrow ; the ribs 

 tubercular; the dorsal line distinct; the front of 

 the columella smooth. Two species are enume- 

 rated. 



2768. — The Pimpled PiG-CowRT 



(Trivia piistxdata). Cyprasa pustulata. Lam. 



This species is of a purplish brown ; the ribs are 

 studded with reddish brown black-edged tubercles. 

 It is a native cJ" the Pacific Ocean. 



The next genus, Eiato, is thus characterized : — 

 spire conical, apexblunt ; shell when young smooth ; 

 the adult with both lips finely crenulated; the colu- 

 mella concave, slightly plaited in a radiated man- 

 ner, or smooth with two or three folds in front ; the 

 anterior canal straight, the hinder indistinct. 



Seven species are enumerated. 



2769. — The Roughish Teae-shell 



(Erato scabriuscula). Marginella Cyprseola, Sow- 

 erby. 



The shell of this species is ovate, turbinate, livid 

 purplish and minutely tubercular. The spire is 

 conical ; the dorsal line impressed : the mouth wide 

 and whitish, the inner lip largely plaited its whole 

 length ; the teeth large. The young is smooth, with 

 the lip thin and toothless. Its native locality is 

 the South Pacific. 



We now come to the genus Ovulum (Ovula, 

 Lamarck), containing those remarkable shells com- 

 monly called Poached-eggs by collectors, 



Cuvier, who regards the Ovules or Ovula as the 

 type of a form distinct from Cypraea, but approxi- 

 mating to it, observes that they have the shell oval, 

 and the aperture narrow and long, as the cowries, 

 but with plaits on the side of the columella. The 

 spire is concealed, and the two ends of the aperture 

 are pretty equally notched, or prolonged into a 

 canal. Linnaeus confounded these shells with the 

 Bullae, from which Bruguieres separated them on 

 good grounds. 



The mollusk has a large foot and an extensive 

 mantle, which is partially reflected over the shell, 

 a moderate blunt muzzle, and two long tentacles, 

 which carry the eyes on their side at about the third 

 of their length from the base. Montfort calls those 

 shells Ovules, in a restricted sense, which have the 

 outer edge transversely plaited ; and he gives the 

 generic title of Volva (les Navetfes) to those in 

 which the two ends of the aperture are prolonged 

 into a canal, and also in which the outer edge or 

 external lip is not plaited. 



Mr. Gray gives the generic characters of Ovulum 

 as follows, subdividing the genus into several minor 

 groups : — 



The shell, when young, is spirally striated ; when 

 adult, covered with a smooth enamelled coat ; the 

 inner lip is toothless; the outer toothed or crenafed ; 

 the anterior and posterior canals are more or less elon- 

 gated. 



The subdivision a has the outer lip broad, in- 

 flated, rounded and crenulated ; the extremities 

 short : the front of the columella rounded. 



Of this subdivision Mr. Gray enumerates two spe- 

 cies, of which one is the Common Poached-Egg. 



2770. — The Common Poached-Ego 



(Ovulum ovtim). Ovula oviformis, Lamarck ; Bulla 

 ovum, Linn. 



The Common Poached-Egg has the back remark- 

 ably elevated and rounded ; it is smooth and white 

 externally : the inside is orange brown. 



Subdivision /3. The species in this subdivision have 

 the outer lip inflected, broad, and toothed ; the ends 

 are short and curved ; the posterior end has a tooth 

 on the inner side ; the front of the columella is ex- 

 panded beneath. One species only is enumerated. 



2771. — The Two-Warted Poached-Egg 

 (Ovulum verrucosum) Bulla verrucosa, Linn. 



This species of ovulum has an ovate shell with 

 the back deflected angularly. The extremity is 

 roseate. The young shells are closely striated, and 



! the ends are tinged with brown. It is found in the 

 Indian Seas. 



Subdivision 7. The characters in this section 

 clo.sely approximate to those of the preceding. 

 The outer lip is inflected, rounded, narrow, and 

 toothed. Four species are noticed by Mr. Gray. 



2772. — The Picabl Poached-Egg 

 (Ovulum margarita). The shell of the Pear! ovu- 

 lum is of a subglobose form, and pointed anteriorly ; 

 the base is convex; the front of the columella con- 

 cave ; the outer lip rounded. It is a native of the 

 sea around the Friendly Islands. 



Subdivision S. Characterized by the outer lip 

 being shghtly inflected, narrow, and keeled exter- 

 nally, with the edge shelving inwards. 



Mr. Gray enumerates seven species. 



2773.— The Pear-shaped Poached-Egg 

 (Ovulum pyriforme). The shell is pear-shaped, at- 

 tenuated anteriorly ; the front of the columella con- 

 cave ; the outer lip shelves inwards. It is found on 

 the coasts of New Holland. 



Subdivision e. In this subdivision the outer lip 

 of the shell is thickened, inflected and toothless ; 

 the front of the columella is flattened ; a fold or 

 ridge runs across the back, which becomes oblite- 

 rated with age. The extremities are short. Nine 

 species are enumerated, 



2774. — The Gibbous Poached-Ego 

 (Ovulum gihbosum). The gibbous ovulum is ob- 

 long and blunt, with an angular ridge across the 

 back. The general colour is white, with the lips 

 yellow. It is subject to variation in its relative 

 length and breadth. It is obtained in difterent 

 parts of the Atlantic Ocean. 



Subdivision C- In this section the outer lip is 

 thickened, inflected, and toothless ; the extremities 

 are elongated ; the hinder conical and straight. 

 Four species are enumerated. 



2775.— Goodhall's False Spi.vdle 

 (Ovulum longirostratum). The shell in this species 

 is fusiform, and thin; the beak very long and 

 curved ; the mouth linear, rather expanded anteri- 

 orly. General colour white. It is found in the 

 Adriatic. 



Subdivision ri. In this section the outer lip is 

 thickened, slightly inflected, and toothless ; the 

 front of the columella is rounded; the extremities 

 very long. It constitutes the genus Volva of Mont- 

 fort. See Cuvier's ' Rogne Animal.' One species 

 only is enumerated. 



2776. — The CoMMOpf Weavep."s-Shuttle 

 (Ovulum volva). Bulla volva, Linn. 



This shell is oval, and striated, with the beaks long 

 and somewhat flexuous. It is flesh-coloured, with 

 the outer lip pink. It is brought in collections from 

 China. 



With respect to the fossil Cypraeidae, it may be 

 observed that fossil shells of tins family do not ap- 

 pear to have been found below the Supracretaceous 

 group. Mr. G. B. Sowerby, speaking of the genus 

 Cypraea (' Genera ') says " of these," the fossils, " we 

 have several species in Britain, in the London clay 

 and crag ; many others are found on the Continent, 

 as in the calcaire ttrossier in the environs of Paris ; 

 at Laugnan, near Bordeaux, and in Normandy ; also 

 in Italy and Piedmont; we have seen specimens of 

 a very fine fossil species, nearly resembling C. mus, 

 from the Netherlands : they seem to be confined to 

 the newer formations." Lamarck enumerates eigh- 

 teen fossil species of Cypraea and two of Ovulum. 

 Deshayes, in his Tables, makes the number of living 

 Ovula eighteen, and the number of fossil (tertiary) 

 species six. Three species, O. spelta, O. birostre, 

 and a new species, he makes both fossil (teitiary) 

 and living in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, 

 and the Mediterranean respectively. The number 

 of living species of Cypraea he makes one hundred 

 and thirty-eight, and the number of fossil (tertiary) 

 nineteen. He considers Cypracae lurida (Medii.), 

 rufa (ibid.), annulus (African Ocean), coccinella 

 (European Ocean), a new species (Sicily), and 

 another new species, Sphaericulata ? Lam., with an 

 unknown habitat, as both living and fossil (tertiary). 



Mr. Gray notes the following as fossil : — 



Cypraea, 

 Cypraea Physis, Brocchi (C. Pyrula, Lam.), Pl.ii- 

 san'in or Placentin ; C. leporina. Lam. ; C. gibbosa, 

 Gray ; C. tumidula, KiJnig, Bordeaux : and he ob- 

 serves, that C. annularia, Brogn., appears to be an 

 allied species ; C. fragilis. Gray ; C. Deshayesii, 

 Gray; Ovula tuberculosa, Duclos ; C. inflata, Lam., 

 Grignon, allied to Ovulum : C. .subrostrata, diray, 

 Nehove ; C. fabagina, Lam. ; C. diluviana. Gray ; 

 C. rugosa, Brod., Turin. 



Luponi-a. 

 L. elegans, Gray; Cyp. elegans, Defr. ; L. dac- 

 tylosa. Gray ; Cyp. dactylosa. Lam. ; Cyp. Gervilii, 

 Suw, ; Cyp. Georgii, Defr, 



