I cannot find this very beautiful shell enumerated among the new and unfigured species known to Lamarck; and the representations given by the oldest conchologists of this intricate family, are too inaccurate to be cited without much risk.
CONUS pulchellus,
Orange Admiral Cone.
Generic Character.—See Pl. 65.
Specific Character.
- C. testâ aurantiacâ, fasciis albis interruptis ornatâ; spiræ subdepressæ, anfractibus suturam juxta simpliciter sulcatis; suturâ alveatâ; basi granosâ, purpureâ.
- Shell orange, with two interrupted white bands; spire slightly depressed, the volutions with a single groove near the margin; suture channelled; base granulated and purple.
In form it approaches nearest to Conus vitulinus of Bruguiere, having the spire not quite depressed, each volution being slightly raised above the last, gradually to the apex; the upper margin of the body whorl is convex: each volution of the spire has a broad and deep groove nearest the upper edge, which thus becomes elevated, while the convexity of the lower part of the whorl forms a channel round the suture, which separates it from the next; this formation of the spire is very remarkable, and unlike what I have seen in any other Cone. Another distinguishing character is, that the whole shell is crossed by very faint, broad, and almost imperceptible punctured lines, very near each other; in some parts discernible with the naked eye, in others almost obliterated by the longitudinal lines of growth: the granulations towards the base are very sharp and nearly white, and the base itself crossed with rough, thick-set, elevated striæ. No doubt the colour of this species will be found to vary, when more specimens are discovered. The only one I have ever seen, came with some other very rare shells from Amboyna, and is in my own collection.
If the descriptions of C. canaliculatus (Malacanus Brug.) be correct, (for it is a shell I have not seen), it must be quite distinct.