CONCHOLOGY. 



CONUS, GLORIA MARIS. 



Generic Character. — Shell spiral, oblong, spire short, no 

 beak, the mouth very long and narrow, ending at 

 the base in an open trench arcuated, the whole 

 form of the shell cone-shaped and pointed 



The shell called the Gloria Maris, on account of its 

 dazzling beauty and the symmetry of its delicate proportions, 

 is distinguished no less for its great rarity and the propor- 

 tionally high price which it generally brings from connois- 

 seurs. The spire consists of several rings, forming a gradual 

 tapering summit, the body is slightly rounded, as well as 

 the cheek of the month, the inside of which is white. The 

 body is of bright oliv r e brown, variegated with white angular 

 spots placed irregularly ; the larger marks are of a chequered 

 pattern of a dark rich brown, of the shape of an oblong- 

 square. As these approach to the bottom of the shell, they 

 are gently turned towards the inside, with the most pleasing 

 mixture of all the different tint and mixed with grey, which 

 also occurs irregularly in different parts of the exterior 

 surface. 



That superb shell which was once in the collection of 

 the late Duchess of Portland, was We are informed, sold 

 to Lord Tankerville, whose noble collection of shells it 

 now adorns. Another we have observed in the British Mu- 

 seum, and these are, we believe, the only two of the Gloria 

 Maris, now existing in London. 



When the specimens are imperfect from age, the co- 

 lours are much paler, but the peculiar shape of the spire 

 and summit will always be a sufficiently characteristic mark 



