r 



70 Miscellaneous. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



ON THE HABITS OF THE LIMPET. 



Lyme Regis, Oct. 10, 1810. 

 Dear Mr. Dean, — The limpets have engaged my attention, but 

 the wall newly-built has been thrown down by a great gale. I find 

 limpets to be very intelligent creatures, and I justify the term from 

 finding them suit their habits to their locality : thus some placed 

 upon a tolerably smooth surface out of the stroke of the breakers 

 move and halt anywhere as their choice leads them. 



They move out of the water at a steady pace, about half as fast 

 as a house snail ; a foot distance is consequently soon accomplished. 

 In some situations I could not see what made them start off or halt, 

 whether to feed or for any other purpose. 



I do not think limpets move about much when the tide is in and 

 their enemies the crabs near. I have often admired their clever 

 manner of slewing themselves round without moving from the spot. 

 I again repeat, the limpets I have specially watched do move about, 

 and if upon a smooth surface halt anywhere : now for a little dis- 

 covery I made. 



On the slope of a great cockle rock (higher greensand rock from 

 Whitlands) at the end of the Cobb, is a basin-like depression which 

 is left partly filled with water. One fine day I climbed up and found 

 in the basin and round about several small and a few middle-sized 

 limpets. Above the level of the water (the basin) was a smooth 

 place from which a limpet had not long before moved, as the spot 

 was different in colour to the rock around ; the shape was singular. 

 Looking into the water I saw several limpets there, and a good many 

 little faeces of these creatures. I was not long in spying my friend, 

 who was from home. I found him leaving the others and making 

 his way steadily back to his habitat. I watched his course ; he ar- 

 rived, and I at once perceived a difficulty, which he made nothing of, 

 viz. the getting adjusted. He slewed himself round and fitted a little 

 notch which he had to a small piece of projecting quartz with won- 

 derful readiness. He was tight in a moment, ready to resist the 

 heaviest breakers or any enemy. 



I give you a sketch to show how peculiar the shape was, which is 

 not unusual in limpets fixed to cockle and Portland stone, in which 

 are shells, chert, and in the former quartz, which they cannot cor- 

 rode like the other parts. 



The Limpet the size of life. 



Piece of Quartz. ev" v\/!//v ^^~f 



Two Balani upon the shell. 



I find this limpet descended daily into the little basin of water, 

 met his fellows there, and duly travelled back before the tide came 

 in, and fitted the notch to the piece of quartz as before described. 



