THESAURUS CONCHYLIORUM, MONOGRAPHS GENERA OF SHELLS V3, SOWERBY 1866

THESAURUS CONCHYLIORUM, MONOGRAPHS 2*** of OF ô GENERA OF SHELLS LDITKH G B V,\ SOWERBY, VOL F.L.S III LONDON SOWERBY 45, «* GREAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY 1866 350303 JUN8 1954 : 1ôRAR1 QL 73Text ^ CONUS 562 r floritius, imm M" liuui Deburfh's 366 Clialaccimis, from &B Sower^y Ml M Cumulus collection 504- collection W C Rhododendron, 562 C cucumciciis, from the same, dimmf's collections W Wesl Imj MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS CONUS In the following arrangement of species, I have endeavoured to bring together those most nearly resembling each other, to faciliIu doing this I have found the gradations so tate comparison subtle as almost to defy any systematic division into defined There are no single characters which can be depended groups upon with any certainty in determining the affinities and distincIt is more by the eye, taking tions either of groups or species in an assemblage of characters, and regarding the general appearThus, although for conveniance, that they can be appreciated ence I have followed a prevailing custom in placing by themselves in groups nearly all the coronated species, yet there still remain some coronated species whose general characters forced me to them in widely different groups, while some generally coronated species present varieties in which the whorls are smooth This is only one instance of what occurs with regard to almost any character that can be named, such as length of spine, granuUnder these circumstances it is impossible to mainlation, etc tain perfect consistency as to retaining and proposing some speplace and rejecting others As the collector's great object however know the shells, I have preferred in most cases giving the species as they stand, stating the alleged differences, and leaving the final decision to individual taste Thus, some eight or ten socies is to called species of the textile group, are, to the best of mere variations of one type ; yet I have admitted them my belief, in the cata- logue, simply stating the points in which they are said to differ a tus, Coronated, turbinated, straight-sided imperialis, Linn — C oblongus, tuberculis magnis corona- medio subcontractus, versus basin attenuatus; VOL III albus, caeruleo B tinctus, castaneo bifasciatus, punctis et lineis interrupts cinctus (Plate I flashes, f 2) —The interrupted lines are coincident in and united by two chestnut bands downward coronal tubercles ; large fuscatus, Hon/ — C C inijieriall similis, sed — ilamniis cas- In this species longitudinalibus magnis ornatus (f 3) the downward Hashes are large, dark, and defined, while the intertaneis rupted cross-lines are less prominent — C C imperiali similis sed brevior, vikidulus, Lawk flammis longitudinalibus subviridibus angustatis (f 1).— Rather shorter than the two preceding, with the downward flashes narrow and greenish — natus, MAiiMOREUS, Linn C oblongus, tuberculis magnis coromedio subcontracts, albus, roseo tinctus lineis nigrescen; tibus semicircularibus pictus, interstitiis cordiformibus (f 5) tinged with rose-colour, and the whole surface is reticulated with semicircular lines, leaving heart-shaped interstices The ground is — C C marmoreo similis, sed maculis tri5 Handanus, Brug The gonis castaneis reticulatus, medio leviter bifasciatus (f 8) shell is generally straighter, and the chestnut markings broader, Probably only a variety of C particularly in two central zones — marnwreus NocrmtNUS, Bng — C C marmoreo similis, sed colore ni- grescenti pictus, interstitiis cordiformibus, albis, paucis Probably another var of ing nearly covers the l>i:i(iji!