318 Zoological Recreation in Florida Bay. 



the female in the mud. The thousands of young mollusks are then 

 left to shift for themselves. Having broken their prison walls, they 

 grow ra2:>idly and are scattered over the sea. Of the millions born, 

 probably more than two-thirds fell a prey to their enemies while 

 young. We found them in every stage of growth. There woukl 

 have been no difBculty in securing a wagon load of full grown shells 

 right here, so the supply is not likely to give ont. The smaller 

 species^i^afc. tulipa, (L.), and Fasc. dlstans, (Lam.) — were quite 

 abundant. The shells were clean, smooth, and highly colored. In 

 the same locality occurred fine specimens of Sycofypus canaliculatus, (L.), 

 S. pyruin, (Dill.), S. carica, (Gmel.), aS. perversus, (L.), S. papyra- 

 ceus, (Say), Area Noce, (L.), I found attached to other shells, while 

 Aira ponderom, (Say), an inhabitant of deeper water, was found on 

 the mud banks, and had evidently been washed up by the storm 

 along with some other species. In the valves of dead shells were 

 Orepidula plana, (Say), and C. fornicata, (Lam.), Venns cingenda, 

 (Dill.), were abundant, Callista gigantea, (Chem.), and C. macxilata, 

 (L.), Ranella caudata, (Say), Plicatida ramosa, (Lam.), Murex. tam- 

 poends, (Con.), FissureUas and Pectuncidus, afforded us good specimens. 

 Some of each species I put in the alcohol jars for future study of the 

 animals. No naturalist should go to Florida unprovided with plenty 

 of alcohol, nor fail to preserve the animals of every species collected. 

 Careful notes of localities and surroundings should also be made. In 

 addition to the .species mentioned above we found some that were 

 common to other parts of Florida, and which I mentioned in former 

 papers. One, however, of which I had previously seen only the dead 

 shells, occurred on the banks around Sandy Key in great perfection 

 and abundance. This was Pivna murieata, (L.), or the fan mussel. 

 Standing on their small ends, about one-third buried in the mud with 

 valves open, they resemble a collection of fans. A hairy caudal 

 appendage, called a byssus, and fine in texture as silk, is attached to 

 the animal. By means of this they attach themselves to whatever 

 debris may be near them in the mud where they locate, and having 

 assumed an upright position, are ready with open mouths to snap up 

 whatever unfortunate mollusk ventures within reach. At the slightest 

 touch they close the valves quickly, and by a sucking process hang on 

 with their byssus most tenaciously to the attachment below. The 

 longest were about ten inches to a foot long. I soon learned to take 

 them suddenly, and in this way secured enough to fill a barrel in a 

 short time. Like the oysters they have their parasite (PinnotJieres.) 

 These little crabs nestle in the mantle and gills of the animal. On the 

 exterior of the shell, Anomia glabra, (Ver.), and Crepidulas, make 

 their home. 



