UNIVALVE MOLLUSC A. 



435 



known as the Australian Serpent's Skin. The shell is white, orna- 

 mented with longitudinal waving flexible lines of spots of green, or 

 greenish-violet. Turbo imperialis (Fig. 228), from the Chinese seas, 

 is green without, and brilliantly nacred within ; it is commonly known 

 as the paroquet shell. 



The genus Turbo is found in the North seas, in the Channel, and 

 on the Atlantic coast. The animal is eaten in nearly all the seaports 

 of the Channel. 



Rotella Zealandica, from the Indian Ocean, whose shell, represented 



Fig. 229. 

 Rotella Zealandica, 



Fig. 228. Turbo imperialis (Gmel.). 



Fig. 230. Monodonta australis 

 (Lamarck). 



in Fig. 229, presents the most lively colours, forms one of a genus 

 by no means numerous in species. This New Zealand species has 

 the spiral turns of its shell sculptured in descending furrows, and 

 studded with imbricated scales, which form a projecting edging 

 round its margin, and give it a radiating form. This species is 

 of a violet brown above and white below. 



Near to the genera Trochus and Turbo in this system comes the 

 genus Monodonta. 



The Monodonta are elegantly-marked shells, belonging to the seas 

 of warm countries. M. Australis (Fig. 230) is a native of the 

 Australian seas. M. labia (Fig. 231) is a small brown shell, with 



