Cones, Volutes, Mitres, and Olives. 63 



CONES, VOLUTES, MITRES, AND OLIVES. 



These are names given by collectors to certain 

 classes of univalve shells, distinguished by pecu- 

 liarities of formation, more or less distinct. We 

 shall describe two or three of each, that our readers 

 may have some idea of the meaning of the terms 

 which are often used by those who speak or write on 

 conchology. 



The family of Cones, called Gonidce, is an ex- 

 tensive one; considerably above two hundred 

 species having been discovered. Many of them are 

 very beautiful, both in shape and colour, so that 

 they are highly valued by collectors ; they are prin- 

 cipally found in the southern and tropical seas, upon 

 sandy bottoms, at depths varying from a few feet to 

 seventeen fathoms. The shells are generally thick 

 and solid, rolled up, as it were, into a conical form \ 

 the most familiar illustration that can be given of 

 this form is a sugar-loaf, which all these shells more 

 or less resemble in general outline, as thus— 



