GARRETT : CATALOGUE OF CYPR^ID^. IO9 



3. C. Argus, Lin. This beautiful cowry is really a scarce 

 South Sea shell. It is confined to the 'Western groups, and 

 inhabits deep water outside the reefs. The animal is quite 

 unknown to me. 



4. C. (Aricia) arenosa, Gray. The Paumotus' are evidently 

 the metropolis of this species, where it is far more abundant 

 than at the Cook's or Society Islands. They are found on 

 the outer reefs. As far as we know, it is confined to South 

 Eastern Polynesia. 



The young exhibit the same, but more conspicuous, 

 fasciation as seen in the adult shells. 



Dillwyn, in his remarks on C. caiiieola^ says — this is the 

 shell that Lamarck described under the name of C. sordida; 

 if so, the latter has precedence over Gray's name. 



5. C. asellus, Lin. This small species only occurred to our 

 notice at the Viti, Tonga and Samoa Islands, where we ob- 

 tained a few examples from the underside of clumps of dead 

 coral on reefs. 



6. C. (Luponia) ajjrantia, Martyn, We obtained this rare 

 and costly species at the Viti, Caroline and Society Islands, 

 where they live in deep water outside the reefs. The animal 

 is probably unknown. Besides the three above localities, 

 it has been found at the Pelew Group. The old authors 

 erroneously cited New Zealand and the Friendly Islands= 

 Tonga as its habitat. 



They are highly prized by the natives, who consider 

 them regal ornaments, and as such are worn suspended on 

 the necks of the high chiefs. In the Viti Group, where they 

 are an article of traffic, they are by the traders valued at 25 

 dollars a pair. At the Society Islands they are so excessively 

 rare that I have known a native to refuse the above amount 

 for a single shell. 



