Zoological Illustrations/VolIII-Pl135



tricornis,

Horned Strombus.

—See Pl. 10.


 * S. testâ ponderosâ, nodis longitudinaliter compressis armatâ; labio exteriore inflexo, margine crasso, suprà attenuato et ultra spiram producto; canali truncato.


 * Shell ponderous, with longitudinally compressed nodules; outer lip inflexed, the margin thick, above attenuated and produced beyond the spire; channel truncated.


 * In young stages of growth.


 * Seba, pl. 62. f. 36, 10. Martini 3. tab. 91. f. 890. tab. 85. f. 847.


 * Lam. Syst. 7. p. 201.


 * Var. A. Shell whitish, outer lip much produced. Upper figure. Martini, vol. 3. tab. 84. f. 844, 845. Sw. Ex. Conch. part 4.


 * Var. B. Shell varied with chesnut, outer lip shorter. Lower figure. Ency. Méth. t. 408. f. 1. t. 409. f. 2. Martini, 3. tab. 84. f. 843. Lister, 871. f. 25. 873. f. 29.

Martini was the first conchological writer who separated this species from the Strombus Gallus of Linnæus; under which name are included three shells, so remarkably different from each other, that they hardly possess a single character in common.

The original name of Linnæus I have retained to that species figured by Seba, tab. 62. fig. 1 and 2, and by myself in Exotic Conchology, Part 4.

Strombus tricornis, although figured, has never yet, I believe, been defined.

Two varieties of this shell are met with; one having the attenuated process of the lip much produced, the margins folded inward, and the tip somewhat spatulate, or spoon-shaped: the colour of this variety is generally white, slightly varigated with brown stripes or irregular spots. A very fine specimen of this variety, having these characters remarkably developed, is in my own cabinet, and is figured in Exotic Conchology, part 4. The second variety has the process of the lip shorter, and the margins not folded; the colour usually brownish, richly clouded and variegated with chesnut; the aperture within is tinged with pale red or rosy; but that of the other variety is pure white. I believe this species inhabits the coasts of America; it is a heavy shell, and sometimes measures seven inches in extreme length.