50 ITS MANNER OF CLIMBING. 



it not unaptly to a lady's ring set with small 

 brilliants. 

 My attention was attracted to the Pecten hy this 

 curious circumstance, that it was adhering by one 

 valve (the flat one) to the side of the glass phial, at 

 some distance from the bottom. On close examina- 

 tion with a lens, I discovered that it was attached by 

 a very delicate byssus. Curious to ascertain how it 

 contrived to mount from the bottom to this position, 

 I touched it slightly, and caused it to loose its hold. In 

 the course of half an hour I found that it had resumed 

 the same position again. I again disturbed it, and 

 began to watch its motions. It was lying with the 

 convex valve downwards on the bottom of the phial. 

 The first thing I observed was the thrusting forth of 

 the delicate little foot, an organ wdiich seemed to me 

 appropriately named, when I marked its close resem- 

 blance in form to a human foot and leg, enveloped in 

 a white stocking. What I may call the sole of this 

 tiny foot was pressed against the side of the glass, 

 feeling about from place to place ; while with the lens 

 I could distinctly see, in the part corresponding to the 

 toe, the opening of the fleshy lips, or sides of the 

 grooves, in Avhich the threads of byssus are said to be 

 formed. While it was thus engaged my surprise was 

 excited by seeing it suddenly throw itself with a jerk 

 into an upright position ; but the action was too 

 startling to enable me to see how it was performed. 

 I again laid it prone, and though for a moment it 

 closed the valves, it presently opened them again, and 

 performed a similar feat. This was followed by seve- 

 ral leaps in different directions, in quick successioii ; 



