84 UNIVALVES. CYPR^A. 



CYPRJEA. COWRY OR GOWRIE. 



Animal a Slug: Shell univalve, involute, subovate, 

 smooth, obtuse at each end: aperture effuse, linear, ex- 

 tending the whole length of the shell, and toothed on 

 each side. 



THIS beautiful genus contains seventy-three species, 

 but these may be subdivided into more than a hundred va- 

 rieties. The shells when arrived at muturity have their 

 two lips always beset with strong articulate teeth, which is 

 the characteristic mark of the genus. 



The Cyprseae, though very similar in form, possess suf- 

 ficient distinctions to constitute six divisions: the first in- 

 cludes those that have a manifest spire, such as the C. 

 Arabica, C. amethystea (the young of C. Arabica), C. ex- 

 anthema, C. plumbea (the young of C. exanthema), and 

 C. mappa. Those, on the contrary, which are without a 

 manifest spire, form the second division; as the C. caput- 

 serpentis (snake's head), and C. Mauritiana, The third 

 division is composed of the umbilicated or perforated va- 

 rieties; such as the C. ziczac, C. asellus, &c. Those spe- 

 cies which are marginated form the fourth class : viz. the 

 C. moneta, and C. annulus, &c. The C. moneta is fished 

 up by the negro women, three days before or after full 

 moon, and transported into Bengal, Siam, America, and 

 the adjacent islands; where it is used by the native blacks as 

 a substitute for money. The fifth division is composed of 

 those species which have their backs wrinkled, such as the 

 C. oniscus, C. sulcata, &c. And the sixth, of such as are 

 beaked at the extremities, as for example the C. nucleus, 

 C. staphylea, &c. 



Most of the Cowries are smooth glossy shells, of exqui- 

 site brilliancy of colour, and elegantly marked with dots, 



