100 Beautiful Shells. 
inside is of a glossy whiteness, and it is frequently 
used as a basin for garden fountains, or the reception 
of rills or little jets of water, which sparkle in its 
stainless hollow. In the church of St. Salpice, at 
Paris, is a shell of this immense Clam, the valves of 
which are used as receptacles for holy water; it 
was presented to Francis the First by the republic 
of Venice. Fancy the clapping to of such a pair of 
valyes when the animal closes its shell in alarm, and 

the strength of the cable required to moor it to the 
rocks or coral reef. The spotted species here 
figured has a solid and heavy shell, very elegantly 
shaped, and beautifully marked, as will be seen; 
the greatly reduced size of the figure prevents any- 
thing like justice being done to the original. 
The above is a figure of the Heart Isocardea 
