Pearly shells, from the ocean,
shinning in the sun, covering the shore.
When I see them, my heart tells me that I love you,
more than all the little pearly shells.
For every grain of sand upon the beach,
I’ve got a kiss for you,
and I’ve got more left over
for each star that twinkles in the blue.

Wikipedia says,
“Conus species have shells that are shaped more or less like geometric cones. Many species have colorful patterning on the shell surface.

Conus is a large genus of small to large predatory sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks, with the common names of cone snails, cone shells or cones. This genus is in the subfamily Coninae within the family Conidae. Conus snails are mostly tropical in distribution and they are all venomous to one degree or another. The most dangerous species hunt fish using harpoon-like teeth and a poison gland. Others hunt and eat marine worms or mollusks and are found in reef environments throughout the world.

Live cone snails should be handled with care or not handled at all, as they are capable of “stinging” humans with unpleasant results. The sting of small cones is no worse than a bee sting, but the sting of a few of the larger species of tropical cone snails can be serious, and has even occasionally been fatal to human beings.

They prey upon other marine organisms, immobilizing them with unique venom. There have been 30 recorded cases of human envenomation by fish-eating cone shells, in some cases fatal. Upon investigation it was found that toxins in cone shell venom possess pharmacological qualities that make them valuable tools in medical research." 

This shell was given to me by a dear friend and shares space with various other shells from my collection in a soap dish in my bathroom.

Pencil sketch and W&N watercolour in my “Beach Finds” Journal
.

---

From my portfolio of Beach finds

Greeting card

Mounted print with White Border

Framed print with Bright White matting