THEIR AGILITY. 217 



into a disli dry, as knowing that an occasional expo- 

 sure to the air is a contingency that they are not 

 unused to. By and by. as we were quietly reading, 

 our attention was attracted to the table where the 

 dish was placed, by a rattling uproar, as if flint stones 

 were rolling one over the other about the dish. " Oh ! 

 look at the Cockles!" was the exclamation; and 

 they were indeed displaying their agility, and their 

 beauty too, in fine style. The valves of the largest 

 were gaping to the extent of three quarters of an inch ; 

 but the intermediate space was filled up by the spongy- 

 looking, fleshy mantle, of a semi-pellucid orange hue. 

 At one end protruted the siphons, two thick, short 

 tubes, soldered as it were into one, and enveloped on 

 all sides in a shaggy fringe of cirri or tentacles. The 

 circular orifices of these tubes, — small holes perfectly 

 round, with a white border, — had a curious appearance 

 as we looked at the heart-shaped end of the valves. 

 The discharging orifice, however, was but rarely 

 visible ; being usually closed, while the other remained 

 constantly open. But these things were what we 

 afterwards saw : for some time we could look at 

 nothing but the magnificent foot, and the curious 

 manner in which it was used. 



The two lips of the mantle suddenly separate, and, 

 gaping widely all along the front, recede nearly to the 

 valves ; while, at the same moment, a huge organ is 

 thrust out somewhat like a tongue, nearly cylindrical, 

 but a little flattened, and tapering to a point. Its sur- 

 face is smooth, and brilliantly glossy ; and its colour a 

 fine rich scarlet, approaching to orange ; but a better 

 idea of it than can be conveyed by any description 



