Plate XXI.—Conus.
I. Conus imperialis. (Linn.) II. Conus geographus. (Linn.) III. Conus tessellatus. (Born.)
IV., V., and VI. Conus ammiralis. (Linn.)
VII. Conus nobilis. (Linn.) VIII. Conus textile. (Linn.) IX. Conus gloria maris. (Chemn.)
The animal which inhabits the Conus shell creeps upon a foot, elongated, narrow, truncate in front, furnished behind with a horny rudimentary operculum, altogether insufficient to cover the opening. The head, which is large, is elongated into a little snout, or muzzle, at the base of which rises on either side a conical tentacle, having an exterior eye upon its anterior extremity. At the extremity of the muzzle is the mouth, which is armed within with numerous horny hooks, inserted in the tongue. A cylindrical syphon, reversing itself in the shell, serves the purpose of carrying water to the branchiæ or gills. The shells inhabit the seas of warm countries, especially those lying between the Tropics, where they affect sandy coasts, with a depth of ten to twelve fathoms of water.
Among the species bearing a spiral crown, we may mention the rare Conus cedonulli, of which several varieties are known, which come from the South American Seas and the Antilles.
Conus hebraica, from the shores of Asia, Africa, and America, is a common species. It is white with black spots, which are nearly square, arranged in transverse bands.
In Pl. XXI. we have represented some interesting species. Conus imperialis (Fig. I.) is a fine species, of white colour, with bands of a greenish yellow or tawny colour, ornamented with transverse, cord-like, articulated lines of white and brown. One of the largest species is Conus geographus (Fig. II.), which sometimes attains the length of six or seven inches; it is shaded white and brown.
Among the non-crowned species, we have represented in Fig. III. Conus tessellatus, common in the Indian Ocean. Its anterior part is violet in the interior. The spots with which it is surrounded are of a fine red or scarlet, or, in short, a red lead colour upon a white ground.
Conus ammiralis, of which three varieties, Figs. IV., V., and VI., are natives of the seas which bathe the Moluccas; they are beautifully marked varieties, of a brownish citron colour, marked with white spots nearly triangular, with tawny bands painted in very fine tracery. This species has been, and is still, much sought after by collectors, and presents many varieties besides those represented.
Among the shells, which seem almost ready to become cylindrical, may be noted Conus nobilis (Fig. VII.), a rare shell of yellowish colour approaching citron, ornamented with white spots. The golden drop, Conus textile (Fig. VIII.), is yellow in colour, ornamented with waving longitudinal lines of brown, and white corded spots edged with tawny colour. The glory of the sea, Conus gloria maris (Fig. IX.), is white in colour, banded with orange, and reticulated with numerous triangular white spots edged with brown. This is a native of the East Indies, and one of the most beautiful shells of the whole group.