i8o 



ANIMALS OF LAND AND SEA 



terribly destructive, moving back and forth across the mussel 

 beds in swarms and up and down the piles where mussels 

 grow. We have no figures on the damage done the mussels, 



but in 1888 on the Con- 

 necticut coast alone this 

 star-fish destroyed $631,- 

 500 worth of oysters, 

 after not less than 42,- 

 oco bushels of them 

 had been taken from the 

 beds. Mussels are pre- 

 ferred to oysters by the 

 star-fish, and some beds 

 have been entirely 

 destroyed by them. Va- 

 rious gastropods, oyster- 

 drills, dog-whelks, win- 

 kles, conchs and others 

 eat vast quantities, 

 while killifish, cunners, 

 scup, tautog, sque- 

 teague, flounders and 

 cod are very fond of 

 them. In fact, mussels 

 are excellent bait for 

 fish. The walrus in the 

 Greenland seas feeds 

 exclusively on mussels, 

 though the seals, like 

 dolphins, feed on fish 

 and squid. On our 

 coasts mussels are eaten 

 by rats and musk rats, 

 and by such birds as large gulls, ravens, crows and ducks. 

 Within the shells of oysters, pinnas, and the other larger bi- 

 valves live flat- worms, known as "wafers," little crabs, small 



Figs. 533-534. The supposed transformation 

 of a Goose-barnacle into a Barnacle Goose. 



For explanations of the figures see p. xxviii. 



