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Cone Shells — Part 2

Habitat.--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.

Habitat.--East Indies.

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, backward-pointing barb below the tip. The South Pacific Islanders know which are the most dangerous species. "A native of the 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, 1 to 2 1/2 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, 1 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, 1 to 2 inches. West Indies, Florida.

Peale's Cone (C. Pealii, Green) has an unusually steep spire and strong grooves on the lower half of the body whorl. The yellowish ground is spotted with brown and white dots in spiral lines. Length, 1 inch. Bahamas, Florida.