The Tritons and Frog Shells 



Islands. In the East, it is found in Japan, Australia and New 

 Zealand, and in Natal and Mauritius in Southern Africa. Tryon 

 considers T. Saulice, Rve., and T. australis, Lam., variations 

 of this species. 



"Madame Power found this animal capable of reproducing 

 amputated tentacles. The Sicilians and Algerians eat the mol- 

 lusk, and esteem it a delicacy. At Nice, the fishermen and country 

 people make a hole in the apex of the spire and use the shell as a 

 trumpet, which produces a braying sound. It is an indispensable 

 instrument in the old-fashioned charivari, which she describes as 

 a deafening serenade to signalise the marriages of ill-assorted 

 or unpopular couples." — Tryon. 



The Oil-vessel Triton (7. olearium, Linn.) has a thick, 

 broad shell, with few varices and a blunt spire, strongly ribbed 

 and set with tubercles, more or less prominent. The ground 

 colour is light brown, spotted alternately with dark brown and 

 white. The aperture is flesh-coloured, the columella dark brown 

 with raised white wrinkles. 



The Greek lamp is not unlike this shell in form. The skin 

 is thin, and is marked by hairy tufted ridges in life. The animal 

 is pale yellow, with black spots which are more remote and larger 

 on the head; the tentacles are long and black. Length, 2 to 6 

 inches. 



Habitat. — Mediterranean, Atlantic coast of Europe and 

 Africa; West Indies to Brazil; Australia to Japan. 



The Hairy Triton {T. pilearis, Linn.) is recognised by its 

 bristly coat of olive-hued epidermis, its fusiform shape and its 

 red mouth crossed with long white raised ridges. The pale 

 brown exterior is streaked with revolving bands and folds of 

 white. Length, 2 to 6 inches. 



Habitat. — Philippines, New Zealand. 



The Thigh-armour Triton (T.femor ale, Linn.) has a triangu- 

 lar outline, and each whorl has a shoulder so distinctly angled as 

 to stand out like a blade. The spiral ridges are rounded, separated 

 by broad depressions which are also ridged. The ridges are dark 

 brown, the lower areas reddish brown. This shell has a contracted 

 base, which includes the straight canal, which is one-fourth the 

 total length of the shell. The varices are prominent rounded 

 folds of the ribbed surface. The rounded knobs are bright 

 yellow. There is a thin bristly epidermis. "The varices 

 originally served as models for the gadroon border used by 



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