THE COWRIES. 203 



age of the animal : in the very young it is thin, pellucid, and like a snail-shell, it afterwards 

 becomes like an Oliva ; finally, the outer lip is bent in and the inner lip is dentated ; and we 

 have the adult Cowry, in which we fail to detect the apex at all. 



How much of the wonderful natural history of such common objects as the " shells from the 

 sea-shore " is lost to the great majority of mankind ; and yet what marvels are revealed to the 

 eyes of the trained observer of nature ! The 

 beauteous shell of the Cowry lies concealed 

 within the folds of its mantle ; that of the 

 Cone is covered by a thick rough epidermis, 

 which has to be removed before its hidden 

 beauties are discovered. 



" God's works," writes Professor Forbes, 

 "are never left unfinished. None is too 

 minute for the display of infinite perfection. COWRY (CYPR^A TIGRIS) AND ITS ANIMAL. 



The microscope has exhibited to Our WOn- ' IbK She11 is here drawn exposed to view ; it is usually entirely covered by the 



lobes of the mantle. 



dering eyes beauties of structure that have 



been concealed from mortal sight for long ages. It would almost seem as if only glimpses of those 

 excellences of creation are permitted to man to behold, whilst the full contemplation of such wondrous 

 charms is reserved for immortal and invisible admirers." 



But living Molluscs not only secrete shell-matter : they have likewise the power to absorb the 

 internal convolutions and columella of their shells, either completely or until it is reduced to the 

 thinnest film. The Cone removes all but a paper-like portion of its inner whorls, and the Cyprcea 

 often goes still further in removing all trace of its axis. 



The Cowry owes the glassy polish of its whole exterior to the amplitude of its mantle, whose 

 folds meet over its back, and ordinarily conceal the shell entirely. In the shining Marginellas, and 

 Olives, and some Volutes, the shell is partially glazed by the same envelope. It is absolutely 

 essential that the mantle should cover any part of the shell to which additions are required ; 

 any injury, therefore, beyond the reach of this mantle externally must be repaired from the 

 interior. This will explain why the broken apices of univalves and the eroded umboes of the 

 river Mussel are never repaired externally, but always by deposits within the spire or the valves 

 of the shell. 



The size of the adult shell is often characteristic of the species, but this is by no means uniform. 

 The author has frequently seen specimens of Cyprcea turdus equally adult, measuring three-quarters 

 to one inch and a half, but the dwarf varieties are more common than the giants. 



Since the year 1825, when George Sowerby catalogued and priced the Tankerville collection, 

 shells have much diminished in pecuniary value, and shillings will now generally go as far as guineas 

 did then. This depreciation has chiefly affected the deep-sea shells, which have become more plentiful 

 since the employment of the dredge has been generally introduced, and land shells, which are mostly 

 procured in abundance when their proper localities are understood. But some shells seem destined to be 

 always scarce, like the Orange Cowry and the Conus gloria-maris. No doubt there are " as good 

 fish in the sea as ever came to net," but sometimes they live in inaccessible places. Shell-collectors,, 

 like the old Dutch florists, have always set apart a few genera as the special objects of their affection, 

 to which they attach a fanciful value. These are the Cones, Cowries, Mitres, and Volutes, with a 

 few miscellaneous species belonging to other genera, such as the Thorny Oyster, Wentletrap, 

 Carinaria, Harp, and Rostellaria. Most of the stories told about the extravagant prices paid for 

 particular shells are probably apocryphal or grossly exaggerated. It is said that a Parisian " professor 

 of botany " paid 6,000 francs (.240) for a Thorny Oyster (Spondyhis reyius), and that a Dutchman 

 gave an estate for a Wentletrap (Scalaria pretiosa). Now the Scalaria is worth from os. to 10s., and 

 the finest Spondyhis in England was purchased by Mrs. de Burgh for 5. The Carinaria vitrea, 

 which, according to Sowerby, once realised one hundred guineas, is still worth 12 in the market, and 

 fetched as much as 15 only a few years ago* but the value of tine specimens of this shell is enhanced 

 by its extreme fragility. One of the Orange Cowries in the British Museum was purchased by Mr. 

 Broderip of the late Mrs. Mawe for 30, although it has holes in it made by the natives; and fine 



