CONCHOLOGY. 



This is the usual appearance of the back or upper part of tha shelly 

 the region surrounding the mouth is white, including the lip, the 

 inside of the mouth yellow, and this latter character appears constant 

 throughout all the varieties of the species. The particular variety 

 which constitutes the chief object in our plate, is of the red banded 

 kind, the bands being diversified with red and white, disposed in 

 spots, and Hneations, with pecuhar elegance. The varieties of this 

 banded kind are scarce in general, but the particular kind which we 

 have represented is unique, whether regarded for its magnitude, its 

 exquisite perfection, or brilliancy of colouring. We have represented 

 the upper and under surface of this shell, together with the upper 

 and under surface of a shell of the common kind, in order that by 

 the contrast, the beauty of the former might be exemplified with 

 greater perspicuity. 



The history of this matchless variety of Nerita Polita is distinctly 

 known: it is one of those shells which were brought from the 

 Sandwich Islands by Captain Cook, when he returned from his first 

 voyage of discovery in the South Seas. It was observed appended 

 to an ornament worn at the breast of one of the natives, and was 

 obtained in exchange, it is believed, for an iron hatchet ; the Islander 

 to whom it belonged esteeming it very much, and the English Ofiicer 

 being anxious to possess it. This circumstance of its having been 

 afiixed to an ornament worn by one of the savages, explains the 

 reason of ihe shell being perforated, the hole having been made in 

 order to pass a string through the shell to fasten it on the ornament 

 securely. The shell was presented by Captain Cook to Sir Ash ton 

 Lever, in whose Museum it was subsequently deposited ; and 

 notwithstanding the defect above-mentioned, this little shell produced 

 at the dissolution of the Leverian Museum, in the year 1806, the 



