COLLECTION OF SHELLS. 5og 



species. One of the most expensive is theo>. vexil- 

 lum. We shall also point out the v. diadema, fa- 

 vanica, junonia, and mag7iijica of New Holland. 

 There are several species marked with small 

 spots on transversal and parallel lines, which have 

 been named music shells. "We have eighty-five 

 species of the genus mitra, ten of which are 

 found in a fossil state in France and Italy. The 

 initra papalis is remarkable for its size and its 

 red spots. The in. cardinalis and the m. scmgui- 

 nolenla are very rare species. 



3d. The family of the purpurifera is divided 

 into eleven genera, which comprehend two hun- 

 dred species. Those of which the animals have 

 been dissected have a vesicle filled with a colour- 

 ing liquid. The species which has served for a 

 type to the genus purpura, \ho, p.patula, is found 

 in the Mediterranean. It was from this animal 

 that the purple of the ancients was made; but 

 since the introduction of cochineal it is no longer 

 used. The rarest of these shells is the concho- 

 lepas, which was brought from Peru by Dom- 

 bey ; that which is most commonly found on our 

 coasts is the buccinum undatiim. 



4th. The family of the alata contains four ge- 

 nera which are remarkable for the extension of 

 the opening of the shell. In the strombi this edge 

 is entire, it is cut in the pterocera, and extended 



