THE COWRY. 17 



This species is interesting from the changes of figure 

 which it undergoes in its progress from youth to matu- 

 rity. While young the shell is simple, with no trace of 

 the expanded lip; and it is only at mature age, and 

 rather suddenly, that the shell makes its remarkable 

 growth into these far-projecting points and angles, the 

 augmented thickness of which is, moreover, at least 

 equally conspicuous with the expanse. 



But far more remarkable changes take place in the 

 growth of the shell in a family of signal beauty, of 

 which I discern a specimen in yonder cavernous hol- 

 low. The family I speak of is that of the Cowries ; 

 and this individual represents the only species that is 

 indigenous to our seas-^the little Furrowed Cowry. 1 

 Let us pause awhile to admire it, for it is one of the 

 very loveliest of our marine animals. 



The shell itself is doubtless familiar to most of my 

 readers, for it is to be picked up on every sandy beach. 

 It varies in size from that of a split pea to that of a 

 large horsebean. It is elegantly marked all over with 

 transverse ridges. These ridges are porcellaneous white, 

 and the alternate furrows between are purplish, or 

 flesh- coloured. The larger specimens commonly display 

 three spots of dark brown, arranged lengthwise. But 



1 Cyprcea Europcea, which is delineated in the lower right corner of 

 Plate I. 



B 



