RTROMBUS. 107 



operculum, constitute it one of the most active and intelligent 

 of mollusks. It is, in fact, a most sprightly and energetic 

 animal, and often served to amuse me by its extraordinary 

 leaps and endeavors to escape, planting firmly its powerful 

 narrow operculum against any resisting substance, insinuating 

 it under the edge of its shell, and by a vigorous effort, throwing 

 itself forwards, carrying its great heavy shell with it, and 

 rolling along in a series of jumps, in a most singular and 

 grotesque manner " (Arthur Adams, Narrative Voij. Samarang, 

 11,493). 



The classification herein adopted for the subfamily differs but 

 little from that of Messrs. Adams' Genera of Recent Mollusca. 

 The fossil groups have been carefully studied b}^ the late Wm. 

 M. Gabb, in his "Attempt at a Revision of the families Strom- 

 bidse and Aporrhaidae,'' published in the American Journal 

 of Conchology, 1868. 



The monographs of the recent species of Strombus include 

 the magnificent folio, " Illustrations Conchyliologiques " of 

 Chenu, Reeve's " Iconica," Kiener's " Coquilles Vivantes," 

 Sowerby's "Thesaurus," and Kiister's " Conchylien Cabinet." 

 Reeve's monograph, the most recent of these, was published in 

 1851, and contains 56 species. That the thirty-three years 

 since that period, usually so prolific in conchological discovery, 

 have failed to add materially to the number of species, is a 

 significant fact, taken in connection with the ancient history of 

 the family. 



Section I. STROMBUS (srnsu stricto). 



S. GIGAS, Linn. PI. 1, figs. 2-4. 



Epidermis light yellowish brown, beneath which the color is 

 fawn-white, interior polished, rose-color. Length, 9-12 inches. 

 West Indies, Florida, N. South America. 



Chisels and other implements manufactured of this shell are 

 found in the Florida shell-mounds. It lives in 2-3 fathoms 

 water, on sand ; eats Sphaerococcus confer voides, Agard. The 

 young shell (fig. 4) is S. lucifer, Linn. 



S. GOLIATH, Chemn. PI. 1, fig. 5. 



Whorls spirally grooved in double rows, plicate^ tubercled 



