236 CUTTLE-FISH, MOLLUSCA, ETC. 



upper half, by means of which they can swim about 

 freely. The handsomest of our British chitons, per- 

 haps, is Chiton fasticularis, so called on account of the 

 bundles or tufts of bristles which crop out between 

 the plates. This species crawls backwards and for- 

 wards with equal facility. The key - hole limpet 

 (Fissurella Grcecd) is tolerably abundant around the 



more southerly shores of Britain. 



Fig. 1 68. 



MS 

 Fig. 167. 



Chiton fascicularis. 



Egg-cases of White Whelk. 



The white whelk (Buccinum undatuni) as well as 

 the red whelk ( Trophon antiquum) is a good aquarium 

 object, active and vigorous in its movements ; and 

 may be useful for devouring any decomposing animal 

 matter. The white whelk is usually caught by lower- 

 ing pieces of decaying fish or flesh in shallow places ; 

 the whelks soon scent these out, and crowd over them 

 in immense numbers, and are then caught by hoisting 

 up the fragments to which they are attached. In the 

 eastern counties these molluscs are largely eaten, and 

 with good reason, for their flesh is so much like that of 

 the edible cockle that it might easily replace it as a 



