The first shell that Uncle Brown gave to Charley, was what is called a "money-cowry." It is an elegant shaped and beautifully marked shell and takes its name from the fact, that one species of them is used as money, both in Bengal and Guinea, two places at a vast distance from each other. The value of these shells is small, in comparison with that of gold and silver, three thousand two hundred cowries amounting to a rupee, which equals fifty cents of our coin. Next came a shell that Charley thought had a very funny name, "the Royal Staircase Wentle-trap." However, it was a very handsome shell, that uncle sea captain brought to uncle Brown from the far off Chinese and Indian seas, where the animals live. In old times this shell was prized so highly, that one, two inches long, sold for five hundred dollars. And, even now, a fine specimen brings from thirty to thirty-five dollars. This shell Mr. Brown said, belongs to the class Turbo or Turbinidae. The fisherman call all of this class, whelks. [Illustration: ROYAL STAIRCASE WENTLETRAP.] [Illustration: COMMON WHELK.] After this, came another rather queer-named shell, the animal that lived in it, being called the "Common Whelk," and belonging to a class of creatures entitled Buccinidae, from the Latin name for _trumpet_, because they were thought to look like a trumpet. These animals are very plentiful all along the British coasts, and are sold like oysters, in the London markets, besides being exported abroad for food. They have a sort of proboscis, all full of sharp teeth, with which they bore through the shells of other mussels and eat up the creatures inside. "Persons who collect shells and form cabinets of them for their amusement," said Mr. Brown, "are not naturalists. They care nothing about the animal which lived in the shell, when it was in the sea. All they wish for, is to have a pretty and complete collection, containing as many different kinds and as rare shells as possible." "I should like to have a pretty collection," said Charley. [Illustration: MIDAS'S EAR.] "So you will," said Mr. Brown, "but I hope you will learn as much as you can of the natural history of the animals, to whom the shells wore once attached." "I will try," said Charley. "Now here is one," said Mr. Brown taking the shell from his pocket, "called the Bulla Ampulla." Observe it. It is shaped much like an egg, though somewhat round, and is beautifully spotted with white, plum-color and reddish. It is said to exist in both the Indian and American Oceans. What you see here is only the empty shell or covering of the animal. [Illustration: BULLA VELUM. (TWO VIEWS.)] It once contained a living animal, and the shell was formed by the hardening of the soft material of its body. It grew just as your hard finger nails grow. Here is another Bulla. This is the Bulla Velum. You see its general shape is much like the other; but the markings are different.