The Agate Shells 



aperture small. A very large genus confined to the Hawaiian 

 Islands. They live upon trees and bushes from the central water- 

 shed of each island down to sea level. Each isolated mountain 

 valley has its own peculiar species. Among them are some of the 

 most gaily painted shells known. A calamity fell upon the whole 

 genus (and upon conchologists) when cattle were introduced into 

 the Islands. The cropping of foliage by goats has destroyed vast 

 tracts of undergrowth where the Achatinellae lived. Grazing 

 herds of larger cattle are stripping the wooded regions. Many 

 species have already disappeared. 



The collector is always in an ecstatic mood when he is finding 

 plenty of the specimens he seeks. If they are beauties, the greater 

 is his joy. A writer to the Quarterly Journal of Conchology had 

 an added thrill. 



When up the mountains of Oahu I heard the grandest 

 but wildest music, as from hundred of /Eolian harps, wafted 

 to me on the breezes, and my companion, a native, told me it 

 came from the singing shells, as he called them. It was sublime. 

 I could not believe it, but a tree close at hand proved it. On it 

 were many of the Achatinellse, the animals drawing after them 

 their shells, which grated against the wood and so caused the 

 sound; the multitude of sounds produced the fanciful music. 

 From this one tree I took seventy shells of all varieties. 



The Beautiful Agate Shell {A. pulcherrima, Swains.) has 

 a conical shell, blunt at the apex, its shining olive-green surface 

 decorated with spiral bands of brown. Some have only a stripe 

 in the suture. Others have several bands of varying widths. 

 Length, i inch. 



Habitat. — Oahu. 



The Rosy Agate Shell (A. rosea, Swains.) is white tinged 

 with pink which gradually is intensified till it becomes a bright 

 rosy rim inside the lip. Length, f inch. 



The Partridge Agate {A. perdix, Rve.) is a warm chestnut 

 streaked across the whorls with white so as to imitate the pattern 

 of the plumage of a partridge. Length, i inch. 



Habitat. — Maui. 



The Splendid Agate (A. splendida, Newc.) is wound with 

 close lines of white and brownish yellow, of various widths. The 

 mouth is large and oval, apex sharp, whorls rounded, suture deep. 

 Length, i inch. 



Habitat. — Maui. 



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