CONCHOLOGY. 



variety. The beak is elongated and tapering, and at the 

 bottom slightly bent on one side, the spire short and ending 

 in a round tubercle at the top. The colour of the -whole 

 shell is generally of a pale amber tint, inclining to a red, 

 the mouth sometimes white, red, or brown, richly streaked 

 with circular lines. The most elegant specimen of this 

 shell which we have hitherto seen, is that which was in 

 the late Mr. Cracherode's collection, and now deposited 

 in the British Museum, the comparative value being appre- 

 ciated by the number, length and preservation of the spines. 

 The shells which we have hitherto delineated, have, many 

 of them, been remarkable for a boldness of outline and 

 richness of colouring, from which however, the Aranea 

 differs most materially, recommending itself chiefly by a 

 graceful lightness of form, with a great intricacy and diver- 

 sity, which our sublime author the late Mr. Burke, as 

 well as our illustrious Hogarth, have described, as being 

 principally necessary to the impressions of beauty. Such 

 is the astonishing variety of character in each part of indi- 

 vidual nature, from which, undoubtedly, all the principles 

 of artificial taste and beauty were traced and designated by 

 the ingenious and active powers of man. 



