LIMA. 101 



middle. The Lima itself is a most beautiful creature, "with 

 a double-frilled orange or pink mantle lining its delicately- 

 white, ribbed shell, and rows of long, ringed tentacula ; it ha? 

 a narrow tongue-shaped foot and an anal siphon. It is most 

 commonly seen swimming through the water with very great 

 quickness, by means of suddenly opening and shutting its 

 valves, all its bright orange or vermilion tentacula in motion. 

 At other times it is found at anchor, fixed to the rocks by 

 its fine-spun byssus ; and it is only occasionally that it adopts 

 the hermitage, formed of loose substances, called its nest. 



A description of this nest, from the pen of the reverend 

 gentleman above named, is found in his delightful book, 

 ' Arran.^ 



" The coral nest is curiously constructed, and remarkably 

 well-fitted to be a safe residence for this beautiful animal. 

 The fragile shell does not nearly cover the mollusc, — the 

 most delicate part of it, a beautiful orange fringe-work, be- 

 ing altogether outside of the shell. Had it no extra protec- 

 tion, the half-exposed animal would be a tempting mouthful, 

 quite a bonne louche to some prowling haddock or whiting; 

 but He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, teaches 

 this little creature, which he has so elegantly formed, curious 

 arts of self-preservation. It is not contented with hiding 



