CLASS II. GASTEROPODA: ORDER 2. BRANCHIFERA. 509 



SHELL FROM MALABAR. LARGE MUSSEL. 



FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN. 



THORNED MUREX. 



LARGE HELMET SHELL. 

 FROM MADAGASCAR. 



THE MURICIDiE. 

 This is a very extensive family, some of the species being furnished -with a long proboscis, with 

 which they bore through the shells of other mollusca, and thus suck out the juices and destroy 

 the animal within. The foot is broad, and adapted to crawling ; the tentacles are short, and 

 sometimes bear the eyes. All are marine and predatory ; the shells are usually ornamented with 

 spines ; some assume very singular forms, and many are of very beautiful colors. The ancients 

 obtained their purple dye from these animals ; heaps of the shells may be still seen on the rocks 

 of the Tyrian shores, and also on the coasts of the Morea, where it appears they were used in 



the same manner as by the Tyrians. One hundred 

 and eighty living and one hundred and sixty fossil 

 species are known. 



Genus MUREX : Murex. — This includes the Sting- 

 Winkle or Hedge-Hog Murex, M. erinaceus, com- 

 mon in the English Channel. The shell of the 

 Thorny Woodcock, M. tribulus, sometimes called 

 Vemis^s Comb, is much prized by collectors, if in a 

 perfect state ; it is often very delicate and beautiful. 

 This is a native of the Moluccas and parts of the 

 The M. regius is foun<l on the west coast of Central America, and surpasses 



THE THORNY WOODCOCK. 



Indian Ocean. 



