THE PAINTED TOP 31 



PLATE XII 



THE PAINTED TOP (i) 



Tops are generally very common indeed on the 

 sandy parts of the shore. You cannot possibly 

 mistake their shells for those of any other 

 creatures, for they are cone-shaped, looking very 

 much like rather flattened sugar-loaves, and are 

 generally very beautifully coloured. So pretty 

 are they, indeed, that they are sometimes strung 

 together and worn as necklaces, or used for orna- 

 menting ladies' dresses. 



The painted top is one of the most beautiful 

 of all these shells, for it is covered all over with 

 spots and streaks and blotches of scarlet, and 

 crimson, and pink, and purple, and white, and 

 blue, and yellow! But all this lovely colouring 

 is only on the outer coat of the shell, which is 

 very easily chipped off. The consequence is that 

 these shells are very often damaged by being 

 tossed to and fro by the waves, and though you 

 may often find twenty or thirty in the course of 

 a morning, not more than two or three, perhaps, 

 will be quite uninjured. 



Tops are very useful creatures to, have alive 

 in an aquarium, for they keep the glass sides 

 clean from the tiny green weeds which so quickly 

 grow upon them. They do this by means of their 



