The Cowries. Venus Shells 



or in twos. This band is approximately median, and marks the 

 meeting place of the two lobes of the mantle. The back is covered 

 with fine waving chestnut lines running lengthwise. These have 

 scattered spots of pale chestnut which become more numerous 

 toward the pale violet-tinged, almost colourless base. 



The usual habit among cowries is to reserve the bright pattern 

 and colouring characteristics of the species until just before the 

 shell is full-grown, then to lay it on, covering up the bands and 

 waves of colour that previously alternated with the white layers. 

 In C. mappa there are two final coats of the same pattern laid 

 one upon the other. Length, 2 to 3^ inches. 



Habitat. — Indian Ocean. 



The Spotted Cowry (C. guttata. Gray) is a rare and beautiful 

 species which we are doomed to know only through pictures, 

 unless we visit the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, 

 the British Museum or the Museum of Leyden. A very few 

 specimens exist in private collections in Europe. The price of 

 this shell has reached the highest mark in the genus. In 1866 

 one sold for ;^42. Two I know of in this country. One is in the 

 Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, the other in the 

 collection of Mr. Richey of Boston. 



The base is crossed by close sharp ridges which round the 

 margin, and come up a little way on the sides, giving the shell a 

 crimped border all around. This border forms a recurved flange. 

 The back of the shell is orange-brown with pale spots of vary- 

 ing sizes. The cross ridges are bright orange red, giving 

 the base and border a striking colour contrast. Length, 2h 

 inches. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, New South Wales. 



The Prince Cowry (C princeps. Gray) was long known only 

 by a solitary specimen in the British Museum. This was a 

 superb shell, thinner than other cowries, very much swollen in the 

 middle, and elevated, sloping steeply to the base on all sides. 

 The yellow ground colour of the back shades into pink, as it 

 descends to the colourless base. A patch of brownish wavy lines 

 like closely written characters occupies the middle of the back. 

 A squarish blotch of darker brown stands on either side of this 

 middle patch. The sides are spotted. The extremities have three 

 concentric brown lines. The base and teeth are white. 



The first specimen was found in a private collection; it 



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