. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. rUE COU'lUES. 203 shell,. :iftcr> flOlll the iilil almost seem as if only glimpses of those hilst the full contemplation of such wondrous they have likewise the power to absorb the age of the animal : in the very young it is thin, pcllaciil, an becomes like an Oliva; finally, the outer lip is bent in and th( have the adult Cowry, in which we fail to detect the apex at , How much of the wonderful natural history of such common ob] sea-shore" is lost to the great majority of manknul md yt whit eyes of the trained obsei-ver of nature
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. rUE COU'lUES. 203 shell,. :iftcr> flOlll the iilil almost seem as if only glimpses of those hilst the full contemplation of such wondrous they have likewise the power to absorb the age of the animal : in the very young it is thin, pcllaciil, an becomes like an Oliva; finally, the outer lip is bent in and th( have the adult Cowry, in which we fail to detect the apex at , How much of the wonderful natural history of such common ob] sea-shore" is lost to the great majority of manknul md yt whit eyes of the trained obsei-ver of nature ! The beauteous shell of die Cowry lies concealed within the folds of its mantle ; that of the Cone is covered by a thick rough ejiidei'mis, which has to be removed Ijcfore its bidden Ijeauties are discovered. " God's works," writes Professor Forbes, "are never left nnfiniyhed. None is too iiiiunte for the display of infinite perfection. 'I'be microscope has exliibited to our won- Thi siiui is dering eyes bean ties of structure that have been concealed from mortal sight for long ages. It w excellences of creation are pei'mitted to man to behold, ^ charms is reserved for immortal and invisible ; Biit living Molluscs not only seci-ete shell-matter intei-nal convolutions and columella of their shells, either completely or until it is reduced to the thinnest film. The Cone removes all but a paper-like portion of its inner wliorls, and the Cypreea often goes still further in removing all trace of its axis. The Cowry owes the glassy j)olisli of its whole exterior to tlie amplitude of its mantle, whose folds meet over its back, and ordinarily conceal the shell entirely. In the shining Marginellas, and Olives, and some Volutes, the .shell is partially glazed by the same envelope. It is absolutely essential that the mantle should cover any part of the shell to which additions are required ; any injury, therefore, beyond the reach of tliis mantle externally m
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