356 SHELLS AND SHELL-FISH 



an Ostrarion, of a light yellow green, with minute black 

 spots; a Platax of a pink-brown, spotted with black 

 towards the head, and the rest of the body covered with 

 opaque white spots ; and a remarkable sharp-nosed species 

 of RMnobatis, of a dark, rufous-brown colour, were also 

 procured during our sojourn at this place. 



Among other interesting contributions to the Concho- 

 logical collection obtained at Sooloo, the dredge furnished 

 us with a large and handsome new species of Cardium 

 (C. Bechei, Adams and Reeve).* This, which was from 

 about forty fathoms water, and from a muddy bottom, is 

 of a lovely red-rose colour, with a semi-transparent, thin, 

 soft, velvety epidermis, the anterior and middle portions 

 of the shell smooth, but the posterior part, which is des- 

 titute of epidermis, covered with ribs of short compressed 

 spines. Several very large and beautiful specimens of 

 Conus thalassiarchm, and a large rare species of Stomatia, 

 together with many new and interesting Crustaceans, 

 likewise rewarded our research. 



The animal of Conus aulicus has the proboscis beauti- 

 fully varied with red and white, and there is a square 

 and very minute operculum on the dorsal surface of the 

 hinder part of the foot. Its bite produces a venomed 

 wound, accompanied by acute pain, and making a small, 

 deep, triangular mark, which is succeeded by a watery 

 vesicle. At the little island of Meyo, one of the Moluc- 

 cas, near Ternate, Sir Edward Belcher was bitten by one 

 of these Cones, which suddenly exserted its proboscis as 

 he took it out of the water with his hand, and he com- 

 pares the sensation he experienced to that produced by the 

 * Ann. and Mag. Nat, Hist. vol. xix. p. 417. 



