The Little Screw Shell

THE LITTLE SCREW SHELL Genus TEREBELLUM, Lam.

Shell slenderly conical, china-like, spire blunt; aperture narrow, notched; lip sharp, simple; columella straight, truncate; one eye pedicel very long, protruded through the anterior notch in the shell.

T. subulaturn,

Lam., is a dainty "lady finger" in form and size. Nothing but structural characters of the fleshy parts suggest its relationship with the strombs. It is well described above. The polished white surface is daintily mottled with brown. The body whorl is four-fifths of the total length. It looks more like a slim little olive shell than anything else.

The creature is shy and sensitive to disturbance. While taking observations it is a object, with its one eye 'thrust out so far, and waving about, while the pointed shell is held unsteadily in a position. It takes fright easily and moves by a series of quick jumps. On one occasion a beau tiful specimen 'leaped suddenly out of the hand of Mr. Hugh Cuming, the eminent English collector, as he was admiring it and congratulating himself upon getting one alive. Length, 2 inches.

Habitat.— China, Philippine Islands.