ORDER TRACHELIPODA. 29 



The genus Oliva is distinguished from the Cones by 

 the groove or canal which separates the turns of their 

 spire, and by the wrinkles on the columella. The Por- 

 phyry Olive is found in the South American Seas, on 

 the Brazilian coast, and is the most beautiful and the 

 largest species of the genus ; it is of a flesh colour, with 

 numerous lines of a reddish brown, forming angular 

 figures of various forms, and covered with irregular- 

 formed spots of a red or maroon colour. Its length is 

 nearly four inches. There are nearly seventy species of 

 this beautiful shell. 



The Moxey Cowrie, (CyprcBa vioneta.) 



The Money Cowrie of Guinea is very common on 

 the Indian and African coasts ; and is used by many of 

 the inhabitants of Africa as a circulating medium ; it is 

 also employed for the same purpose in Hindoostan, par- 

 ticularly at Calcutta, where great quantities are obtained 

 from the inhabitants of the Maldive Islands in exchange 

 for rice. 



Cj/pnea moncta. 



Many tons of Cowries are annually shipped from 

 England to Guinea; these having been originally brought 



