THE ANIMAL LIFE OF TPIE GROUP. 457 



Hawaii by a careful collector, but as many of them are small .iiid rare, their 

 description would be out of place here. 



Conch Shells. 



The typical conch shell family ^i has but nine species reported from 

 Hawaii, the most common species being the little spotted conch,i- the puleho 

 of the Hawaiians. They are found usually in the shallow water along shore, 

 hidden away during the day under a coral rock or in crevices in the growing 

 reef. The species is less than an inch and a half in length, and can hardly be 

 made to agree with one's notion of this family founded, usually, on the fine 

 large conch shell that everywhere, a generation ago, adorned the mantel, held 

 the honored place in the curiosity cabinet or served a useful and ornamental 

 purpose as a door brick in the homes of people not given to the pursuit of 

 natural history. Nevertheless, if the species were compared it would be found 

 that they differ mainly in size and color. They have the same solid shell, with 

 a well-developed spire, the thickened, expanded outer lip similarly lobed; the 

 columella without plaits and the posterior canal well developed. The living 

 shell has a strong muscular foot adapted to leaping ; a peculiarity which makes 

 them interesting inhabitants for an aquarium. The shell of the common 

 species, when the epidermis is removed, is creamy white, spotted and macu- 

 lated with chocolate and orange-brown, and has the aperture white. S trombus 

 Jidlii is a smaller yelloAvish-brown species regularly ribbed and crossed by 

 spiral stride. Stromdus samar is larger and the outer lip has three large 

 teeth, and the interior of the aperture radially ridged. 



The only species of spider shell ^^ so far found in the islands is five or six 

 inches in length. They are stromb-like, but have the outer lip exaggerated by 

 long curved fingers that make the mollusk look like a huge spider traveling on 

 seven legs. 



The Cowry Family. 



The cowry I'i shells are all so well known to everj^one who visits the sea- 

 shore that a description seems unnecessary. The living animal is interesting, 

 since from the long, narrow, centrally-located aperture emerges the curious, 

 often brilliantly-colored, foot and mantle. The latter when fully expanded 

 almost envelops the smooth, glossy shell. The young shells almost always shoAV 

 a short spire, but as they mature the spire is usually enveloped by the growth 

 of the body Avhorl. 



'^'^ Strombidw. i- Strombus macidatus. is pterocera anrantia. i* Cyprceida. 



(Description of Plate Continued from Opposite Page.) 



5. Pearl Oyster [Pa] {Margaritifera fimbriata). 6. Ark Shell (Ami .v/).)- '• -^^ca Can- 

 dida. 8. Hawaiian Ovster [Pioeoc] (Ostrea rosacea). i>. .Tingle Shell (Anomia nobiUs). 

 10. Anomia nobilis (young). 11. Seallop (Pecten sp.). 12. Scallop (rcctcn sp.). 13. 

 Purple-hinged Scallop (Hinnites giganteus). 14. Tellen Shell [Olepe] (TrUina rugosa). 15. 

 TeUina dinpar. 16. Hawaiian Cvtherea (Ci/fhcrca = (LioconcJui) hicrogli/pliica). 17. Venus 

 Clam (Venus reticulata). 18. Lucina Shell (Cadakia ramulosa). 19. Heart Shell (Cardium 

 arbiter). 20. Eock Oyster [Kupakala] (Chawa sp.). 21. Rock Oyster (Chama sp.). 



30 



