370 THE ROYAL MUREX. 



of its congeners, on account of the long beak, which is thought to bear some resemblance 

 to that of the woodcock, and the former in allusion to the vast number of lengthened 

 spines or thorns which are arranged regularly over its surface. It has also received the 

 equally appropriate and more poetical name of VENUS' COMB. 



This shell is found in the Indian Ocean, and varies greatly in dimensions, four or five 

 inches being about the average length. It is evident that as nothing is ever made in vain, 

 or to be wasted, the wonderful array of external spines must play some important part in 

 nature, if not in the economy of the particular species. But what that part may be, and 

 what may be the object of these beautiful structures, is a problem which seems almost 

 insoluble, at all events, with our present means of discovery. 



The colour of the shell is very pale brown, each ridge being slightly tuberculated and 

 edged with white. The spines are uniform drab, or very pale brown, with an almost horny 

 translucence. 



ANOTHER species is given in the same illustration, in order to show the animal and the 

 position of the eyes, to which reference has already been made. This is the BEITISH 

 WOODCOCK or HEDGEHOG SHELL, a creature which, as its popular name imports, is a native of 

 our seas. It is very much smaller than the thorny woodcock, and affords a good example 

 of the contrast that can often be effected by different animals which yet belong to the 

 same genus. Its length is hardly more than an inch and a half, and its colour is a pale 

 yellowish brown. 



IF the so-called tongue-ribbon be carefully removed from the owner, and mounted on a 

 glass slide for microscopic purposes, it can be examined with the attention it deserves, and by 

 its great beauty will be sure to repay the labours of the observer. This beautiful structure 

 contains a vast series of the teeth already mentioned ; and although the general formation 

 of these organs and their arrangement is alike in all the Muricidas, the teeth themselves 

 are varied in an almost incredible manner, and are so differently shaped, that the 

 particular species can be recognised by one who is conversant with these structures, 

 merely from a glance at the tooth-ribbon. By means of this curious and complicated 

 apparatus, the carnivorous animal is able to attack other molluscs with unfailing certainty. 



In vain do they retire into the recesses of their shelly homes, for the rasp-like teeth of 

 their assailants soon bore a hole through the opposing walls, and enable the marauder to 

 kill and devour the victim at its leisure. Perhaps it would be more correct to transpose 

 the two verbs, and say, devour and kill, for in the molluscs the life retains its hold of the 

 body with such tenacity, that the greater part of the substance may be actually eaten by 

 the slayer, while the remainder is still quivering with life, or even endeavouring, with vain 

 instinct, to crawl away from its foe. 



The reader has, doubtlessly, while wandering on the seashore, picked up many shells 

 in which a round hole had been made, as perfectly circular as if cut with a drill This 

 hole is an unfailing indication that the quondam owner of the shell has fallen a victim to 

 some mollusc such as we have just been describing, and whose task seems to be the 

 continual restoration of the balance of nature, which would be disturbed by the unlimited 

 increase of the vegetable-eating shells. 



ONE or two other species belonging to this genus require a passing notice. The 

 WOODCOCK'S HEAD (Murex hausteUum), remarkable for its long peak and rounded shell, 

 inhabits the same localities as its more beautiful neighbour, being found in the Indian 

 and Chinese seas. It has but few of the spines which decorate the thorny woodcock in 

 such profusion, and even those which are seen upon the surface are comparatively short. 

 The rounded body of the shell, however, together with its long beaked process, does 

 really bear some resemblance to the head and bill of the bird from which it takes its 

 popular name. 



The ROYAL MUREX (Murex regius) is a very fine example of this genus, and is valued, 

 not only for its rarity, but for the extreme beauty of its form and colouring, which render 

 it an ornament to anv cabinet. In colour it resembles the thorny woodcock. 



