ITS MANNER OF LEAPING. 51 



but I was still at a loss to know the modus operandi. 

 It appeared to me certain, tliat the ordinary supposition, 

 viz., that the action is performed by the Tigorous 

 opening and shutting of the valves, was not the correct 

 one. At length a favourable obsen^ation gave me a 

 suspicion of the truth. I perceived the lips of the 

 mantle, (which were hekl in contact, though the valves 

 were considerably separated,) suddenly open to a partial 

 extent, as if hy a hlowiny from loiUdn. At this 

 instant there was a leap in the opposite direction, 

 attended with a considerable agitation in the water. 

 With this clue, I observed more definitely. Having 

 rendered the water a little turbid, in order the more 

 distinctly to see any motion of the particles suspended 

 in it, several leaps confirmed the notion that had sug- 

 gested itself to me. The mode of proceeding is as 

 fbllov7S : wdien the Pecten is about to leap, it draws in 

 as much water as it can contain within the mantle, 

 while the lips are held firmly in contact. At tins 

 instant the united edges of the lips are slightly drawn 

 inward, and this action gives sure warning of the com- 

 ing leap. The moment after this is observed, the 

 animal, doubtless by muscular contraction, exerts a 

 strong force upon the contained water, while it relaxes 

 the forced contact of the lips at any point of the cir- 

 cumference, according to its pleasure. The result is, 

 the forcible ejection of a jet of water, yro?;^ that i)oint\ 

 which, by the resilience of its impact upon the sur- 

 rounding fluid, throws the animal in the opposite 

 direction, with a force proportioned to that of \h.Q jet 

 dean. The action mav be well imitated bv the human 

 mouth blowing a stream of air from any determined 



