Coivries. 69 



COWRIES. 



Of Cowries we have already spoken in our 

 chapter on the Uses of Shells. They are among 

 the commonest of our testaceous ornaments, and 

 are remarkable, especially the foreign kinds, for 

 richness and diversity of colour, and the high 

 polish which they bear. The native species are 

 small plain shells, commonly called Pigs, from 

 some real or fancied resemblance which they bear 

 to the swine. They are pretty little white-ribbed 

 shells, and are tolerably plentiful on various parts 

 of the British coasts. There are three kinds — 

 namely, the Louse Pig or Nun Cowry, the Flesh- 

 coloured, and European Pig Cowries. The first of 

 these is of a pale reddish colour, with six square 

 black spots on the back ; the second is a beautiful 

 rose tint ; and the third is ash-coloured or pinkish, 

 with three black dots and a white streak down 

 the back. The Money Cowry (Gyprcea moneta), 

 used as current coin in many parts of India, as 

 well as on the coast of Guinea, is a yellow and 

 white shell, with a single band of the former 

 colour ; it is small of size, and is sometimes called 

 the Trussed Chicken, for the same reason as the 

 term Pigs is applied to its British relatives. These 



