582 
COWRY. 
paratively disregarded ; and whilst others of very 
inferior beauty are carefully treasured in cabinets, 
this species is only thought worthy to grace a man- 
tle-piece. The Tiger Cowry is too well known to 
require a particular description of its form or colour; 
it will suffice to say that its rich enamelled back is 
covered with black spots, which often run together 
and form small patches; that the sides near the mouth 
are white, and sometimes prettily pencilled with 
gray lines, and that a line runs obliquely along the 
back. 
What makes the subject of our present attention 
particularly interesting, is the history of the man- 
ner in which it is formed by its tender inhabitant, 
and the peculiar power which the animal has of 
quitting its shell whenever it becomes inconvenient, 
in order to construct a new dwelling of more capa- 
cious dimensions. 
We learn from M. Bruguiere, who has published 
his observations (Sur la Formation de la Coquille dcs 
Porcellaines, et sur la Faculte qu’ont leurs Animaux 
de s’en detacher, et de les quitter d des differ enies 
Epoques ) in the first volume of the Journal d’Histoire 
Nat ur elle, that the inhabitant of the cowry, inde- 
pendent of the organs which are common to animals 
of other univalve shells, has two ample membrana- 
ceous appendages, or wings, placed on the sides of 
the body, with which the creature can completely 
cover itself. These two wings contribute greatly, 
together with the edge of the neck or collar of the 
animal, towards the formation of the shell; since 
