THE NAUTILUS. 41 



Lome in my basket, and, after cremating the bodies, placed both 

 shells in my cabinet. Both these shells are abundant on the Sound, 

 and are easily obtained by digging in the sand and mud. The 

 Macoma family thrives here. I have not found M. tecta, but M. 

 nasuta and M. inquinata are prized by the Indians as food, and M. 

 inconspicua is found by the hundred, the exterior slightly eroded by 

 the mud in which it dwells, but the inside of the shell is of a bright, 

 rich, shiny pink ; pale yellow and pure white are also found. The 

 shell is about the size of a finger-nail. 



I was surprised to find upon the rocky beach at Brown's Point a 

 living specimen of Lyonsia californica Conr. It was moving about 

 in a pool of water among pebbles and rocks. It seems marvelous 

 that its thin, delicate little shell could remain uncrushed an instant ; 

 but it seemed to enjoy life as well here in the rugged, stormy north 

 as it does in the wanner waters of the " land of sunshine and blue 

 skies." 



Cardium corbis is more hardy, though, unlike most of our north- 

 ern shells, it is smaller than its southern cousins C. quadragenerium 

 and Liocardhim elatum, but it is much more numerous than either 

 of these species. 2 



Peeten hastatus Sby. is called by many our "prettiest shell," and 

 with the thousands of little spears (hastatus), toothed edges and deli- 

 cate coloring, it is indeed a lovely shell. I saw one for the first time 

 (living) at Point Defiance during the month of April. It was 

 caught on the top of a rock by becoming entangled by a piece 

 of sea-weed ; it opened and closed its shell rapidly, making a curi- 

 ous sound. The orange color of the animal shone and glittered in 

 the sun. The circulation could be seen and the working of the 

 heart and other organs. This Peeten is a deep-water species, swims 

 about freely in the water and moves about at the same angle as a 

 kite does in the air. It lives among sea-weeds and is found in great 

 abundance at Fox Island in the spring of the year. The lower 

 valve is bleached by the sand. It lives in the water and is never 

 exposed to the rays of the sun, hence the delicacy of the color. This 

 shell-fish has black eyes, and can tell when a hand or a bird comes 

 to grasp it. I have seen Amusium caurinum in deep water, but 

 have never succeeded in capturing one, as it is obtained only by 

 dredging in very deep water. It is brown outside, white within, and 

 has 20 ribs, and is not so handsome as P. hastatus. 



- And is also a much heavier shell than the southern Cardium. M. I!. \\ 



