C O N U S lithoglyphus. 

 Ermine Cone. 



Zoophaga. Family Strorabidae. Nob. 



Operculum of the Animal smaller than the aperture of its shell; 

 outer lip of the latter detached above. 



Typical Genera. I, Terebellum. 2, Strombus. 3, Conus, 

 4, p 5^ Pleurotoma. Auct. 



Generic Charicter. See Lam. Syst. 7, 440. 



Specific Character. 



Shell turbinated, redish orange, with two undulated ivhite boards; 

 base granulated, spire obtuse. 



Conus lithoglyphus. Mus. Gevers. p. 350. Brug. Ency. Mcth. 

 p. 692. Lam. Syst. 1 , 490. C. Ermineus, Dillwyn, 395. 



Icones. ^eba 3, pi. 42,/. 40, 41. Chem. pi. 140,/. 1298. Ency. 

 Meth. pi. 338, /. 8. ? Martini, 2, pi. 57,/. 630.— 1.? 



The Cone Shells belong to a predatious race of Mollusc?e, 

 who feed upon the innumerable "creeping things," which 

 swarm in the prolific seas of the Oriental hemisphere : des- 

 titute both of jaws and lips, their mouth is formed into a 

 long trunk or proboscis ; with this they contrive to bore 

 into solid shells, and suck the vital juices of their victims. 

 Nearly all the species are natives of the Indian Ocean. 



The circular system of Nature has been so fully de- 

 monstrated, that it must now be received as the first great 

 truth in Natural History. As, therefore, there can be but 

 one natural system, it necessarily follows that all combina- 

 tions of groups, whether large or small, which do not 

 pretend to exhibit such a disposition, must be more or less 

 artificial classifications. We allude to this our opinion, 

 as explanatory of those principles which have influenced the 

 views indicated here of M. Cuviers Pectinihrancld ; the 

 more so, as we shall be obliged to characterize many new 

 divisions, and to reform others, without the immediate 

 opportunity of explaining our reasons. In another work we 

 hope to enter on such details ; and to shew we have been 

 guided, in this matter, by more weighty considerations than 

 mere individual opinion. 

 Conus PI. 1. 



