The Cone Shells 



of five different species of Conus sold at auction in 1865 averaged 

 over £20 (1 1 00) apiece. 



The white cones are in great demand in the islands of the 

 Pacific, especially large individuals, cross sections of which are 

 polished and worn as armlets by native women. Small white 

 cones are strung into necklaces. European dealers do a large 

 business in these shells, charging theislanders high prices for them. 

 Other rare species of shells native to inland waters have some- 

 times been discovered in necklaces which sailors have obtained 

 in exchange for cheap trinkets that pleased aboriginal eye. 



From accounts we have from naturalists who have made 

 the acquaintance of the large cones on tropical beaches we might 

 infer that they are vicious in temper, striking at the hand that 

 ventures to pick them up, and dealing death with the stroke. 

 This is the cone at bay, and afraid for his own safety. The same 

 writers tell us that these mollusks are timid and not bold; they 

 move slowly; when disturbed they retire into holes in the rocks. 

 Their food is chiefly bivalve mollusks whose shells are bored 

 through by the circular toothed tip of the snout. The juices of 

 the body are sucked through the opening. 



The cones deposit their eggs in flat, leaf-like capsules, set in 

 rows on edge, on the surface of dead shells and like objects. A 

 band of thin but tough membrane holds them together and fast 

 to the shell. The young escape through a hole in the outer margin 

 of the capsule. The shells of cones are usually large and thick, 

 though some species are as small as a grain of rice. The absorp- 

 tion of the substance of the internal subdivisions of the spire 

 goes on until they become very thin. This adds to the store of 

 building material available for thickening the outer shell. It 

 also gives more room for the body as it grows larger. 



If I should undertake to describe all the four hundred and 

 more species which are assigned to this genus the equilibrium of 

 this book would be entirely destroyed. Anyone who has a cone 

 in his collection can recognise it by the family characters. I 

 shall describe a few of the most striking species, the largest one, 

 the handsomest, the highest priced, the most venomous and the 

 most common cabinet species, before going on with the descrip- 

 tions of the few native species, none of which is omitted. 



The Promethean Cone (C.Prometheus, Hwass),isthe giant, 

 occasionally measuring nine inches in length, though this is far 



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