GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 



Several weeks after the first meeting of our club, we held another 

 meeting, at which the subject of the terms or names used in study and 

 description of the Mollusca, formed the subject of discussion. Professor 

 Parker was present to assist the club in its debates. 



"These technical terms," said the Professor, "are necessary in order 

 that we may have a uniform means of describing the animals and shells. 

 They are not difficult to understand when we appreciate their application 

 to the animals. As your card, notifying me of this meeting, announced 

 the subject for discussion to be the terms used in the study of the 

 Mollusca, I thought a list or glossary of the majority of these terms 

 might be of value to you, and form a kind of dictionary; and I have 

 accordingly made several type-written copies of such a list." With 

 these words, the Professor handed each of us a neat package of foolscap 

 paper, containing the following glossary: 



Aberrant. Deviating from a given type. 



Abrasion. Wearing away. 



Abyssal. The deepest part of the ocean. 



Acephalous. Headless. 



Acetabula. The suckers on the arms of squids and devil fishes. 



Acinose. Full of small bulgiugs; resembling the kernel in a nut. 



Aculeate. Very sharply pointed, as the teeth on the raclula of some snails. 



Acute. Sharp or pointed, as the spire of a shell or the lip of a shell. 



Acuminate. Long and tapering, as the spire of some shells. 



Admedian. Next to the central object, as the lateral teeth on the lingual 



membrane. 

 Afferent. To bring in; when relating to a vessel or duct, indicating that it brings 



in its contents. 



Alate. Wing-like; as the dorsal part of some Unios. 

 Albinism. Changing from a darker to a lighter color. 

 Amoeboid. Shaped like an Amoebia, a small animalcule. 

 Amorphous. Without distinct form. 

 Amphibious. Inhabiting both land and water. 

 Amphidetic. With the ligament on both sides of the umbones. 

 Ampullaceous. In the form of a flask. 



153 



