Zoological Illustrations/VolIII-Pl182
CYPRÆA spadicea,
Chesnut Cowry.
Generic Character.—See Pl. 111.
Specific Character.
- C. testâ ovatâ, oblongâ, immaculatâ; dorso rufo; ventre albo; lateribus lividis.
- Shell ovate-oblong, unspotted; the back reddish chesnut; belly white; sides livid.
- C. spadicea. Swainson, in Tilloch's Ph. Mag. vol. 61. p. 376.
In shape and general aspect this shell somewhat resembles C. onyx; but its colours are so peculiar, that it cannot be mistaken for that or any other known species: the under side (or belly) is convex and pure white; the sulcations between the teeth of the aperture wide, short, and but faintly marked; the sides livid, tinged with flesh colour. Three specimens have fallen under my observation; one of which, being young, showed the internal colour of the back to be dull purple; they were all received by Mrs. Mawe from the South Seas.
CYPRÆA sanguinolenta
(Middle figures.)
- C. testâ ovato-oblongâ, dorso punctis fuscis, nebulosis, obsito; lateribus incarnato-violaceis, lividè guttatis; ventre depresso.
- Shell ovate-oblong, the back clouded, and dotted with brown; sides flesh-coloured violet, with dark livid spots; belly depressed.
- C. testâ ovato-oblongâ, cinereo-cærulescente, fulvo vel fusco fasciatâ, lateribus incarnato-violaceis, sanguineo-punctatis. Lam. Syst. 7. p. 396.
- C. sanguinolenta. Gmelin, 3406. Turton, 4. p. 335. Dill. 445. Martini, 1. t. 26. f. 265, 266. Ency. Meth. pl. 356. f. 12.
- C. purpurascens. Sw. in Tilloch's Ph. Mag. 61. p. 376.
Gmelin and Lamarck have both described the lateral spots on this shell as blood-red. Their descriptions in other respects are loose, and the figures by Martini so bad, that it is with some doubt I have here placed my purpurascens as a variety of Gmelin's sanguinolenta. The back of the shell is minutely freckled with brown; the under part (or belly) is flattened; the spots on the sides dark livid purple, and the base of the aperture effuse. It is, I believe, a native of Southern Africa.