The Murex Shells. Rock Shells 



curving canal. Colour, whitish yellow, tinged with pink, and 

 spotted with brown. Length, i^ inches. 

 Habitat. — Red Sea. 



• Sub-genus CHICOREUS, Montf. 



Shell ovate or pear-shaped; varices, three, leaf-like, some- 

 times spiny; canal short, curved, wide, nearly closed. Species 

 mainly Oriental; some are West African; others West Indian. 



The Burnt Murex (A/, adusius, Lam.) has jet black fronds, 

 short, leaf-like and irregularly spiny, crowding the varices of the 

 stout spire and also the short canal. The underlying colour is 

 brownish white, with rose pink (sometimes yellow) lip and colum- 

 ella. A single large ridge rises between the varices. The spiral 

 ribs are distinct, dark-coloured, and irregularly set with tubercles. 

 Length, 3^ inches. 



Habitat. — Indian Ocean, Japan, Philippines. 



The Axis-horn Murex {M. axicornis, Lam.) is one of the 

 most attractive species, owing to the long, branching fronds which 

 adorn its varices. Seen from any angle, a graceful curved arm 

 is lifted from the shoulder of each whorl as if its digitate extremity 

 were beckoning. The revolving ribs are darker than the brownish 

 fronds. The mouth is small and white inside. Length, 2 to 4 

 inches. 



Habitat. — East Indies. 



The Rose-branch Murex {M.palma-rosce, Lam.) is the most 

 beautiful of this East Indian group. The solid shell is oblong 

 fusiform, with elevated spire strongly grooved and ridged; the 

 varices bearing stout, flattened fronds which spread into bunches 

 of two-parted tips, beautifully branched and rosy-pink above the 

 banded brown of the shell's surface. The columellar lip is closely 

 toothed, a trait by which it may be distinguished from species 

 which resemble it in other particulars. 



This Murex will be the delight of collectors always for its 

 graceful shape and flower-like, rosy fronds. Length, 4 or 5 inches. 



Habitat. — Indian Ocean. 



The Apple Murex {M. pomum, Gmel.) is an abundant and 

 well known West Indian species. Its surface is rough all over. 

 The three varices are low and tuberculated, with secondary rows 

 of smaller tubercles between them, and crossed by spiral laminae. 

 The large, round mouth has a bright yellow lining. The outer 



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