H abitat. —East Africa to Philippines.
114 The Cone Shells The Virgin Cone (C. vir go, Linn.) is striking in its lack of colour markings so characteristic of the family. The heavy shell is yellowish white with violet stain on the basal part. Fine striations cover the surface. Polished specimens have a white china-like, artificial appearance, but they still preserve the violet colouring. Length, 2i to 4 inches.
Habitat.—Red Sea to Australia.
The Marbled Cone (C. marmoreus , Linn.), commonly seen in collections, is strongly marked with large white creamy spots, mostly triangular, separated by bands of dark brown, It is one of the showiest species in the genus. The spire is low and blunt, its sutures concave, its ridges set with tubercles. The ground colour outside and within the aperture has a pink flush. The pattern and proportion of colour varies in this species, which gives rise to a few distinct varieties. The typical form is a good sized shell, quite heavy, about "half and half" dark and light, in colours and pattern described above. Intermediate gradations unite all the varieties. The bite of this species is much to be dreaded, as the barbed teeth are charged with venom and inflict severe wounds. Length, 4 to 5 inches.
H abitat. —China Seas.
The Court Cone (C. aulicus , Linn.) has a narrow shell tapering to its spire without a distinct shoulder — imitating the olive shells in form, rather than the cones. Its brown surface is bright with triangular white spots arranged without definite order. Fine raised lines groove the surface. This is the East Indian species which Arthur Adams describes as possessing a beautiful mottled red and white proboscis. It is a defensive organ as well. This writer saw a specimen strike the hand that took it from the water, inflicting a deep triangular wound with the sharp teeth that rim the cylindrical tongue. It was a poisoned bite, too, that burned and swelled angrily and gave acute pain, but healed after forming a watery blister. Length, 3 to 5 inches.
Several tropical species have reputations for venomous bites likely to prove serious. Examination of a single tooth shows it to have a hollow tube running from tip to poison gland as in the fang of a serpent or a spider. Besides, it has a sharp, back ward-pointing barb below the tip. The South Pacific Islanders know which are the most dangerous species. "A native of the
1 1 5 The Cone Shells Island of Matupi, New Britain, who had been bitten by a Conus geographus at once cut small incisions with a sharp stone all over his arm and shoulder. The blood flowed freely, and the native explained that if he had not taken these precautions he would have died."— Cooke.
The California Cone (C. Californicus, Hds.) is a plain little colourless shell when the cinnamon-brown epidermis wears off. The largest is less than two inches long. The spire rounds up to the elevated peak. The body whorl is rather square-shouldered. There are occasionally cloudings of pale chestnut on the spire and about the base of the shell. Southern California.
The Florida Cone (C. Floridanus, Gabb.) has a low but very steep spire and a squarish keeled shoulder whorl. The yellow ground is streaked with broken lines of brown spots grouped so as to leave bands of white between. Single rows of dots are often seen on the lower part of the body whorl. Length, i to 21 inches.
Children on the Florida beaches call these much admired shells "Chinese tops." The serried dots look much like the characters of some unknown alphabet, and the perfect cone shape and sharp little apex suggest spinning capabilities.
Habitat.— Florida.
The Protean Cone (C. Proteus, Hwass) varies, as its name suggests, in colour and markings. It is a square-shouldered cone with a sharp apex, with its white surface darkened by splotches of brown arranged in spiral bands, often interrupted, and painted with longitudinal white streaks. A single broad canal occurs on the depressed spire. Length, i to 3 inches.
Habitat.— West Indies, Florida.
The Mouse Cone (C. mus, Hwass) has a high turbinated spire set with white tubercles and the body whorl with raised spiral striae. Broken streaks of chestnut cross the whorls; a white spiral band often occurs in the middle of the body whorl. Clouding of blue often underlies the striping, just below the angled shoulder. Olive stains may occur near the base. Length, i to 2 inches. West Indies, Florida.
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