212 INTEODUCTION TO CONCHOLOGY. 



him to direct his men to cleave, if possible, the mass of 

 coral. At least an hour was thus employed, and, after great 

 fatigue, the portion to which the animal adhered was 

 broken off before the tide had risen so high as to render it 

 unsafe to remain upon the reef. Mr. Cuming repeated 

 his search the next day, and having caused several huge 

 blocks to be lifted up, some few specimens were found 

 beneath, but the heavy blows that were required to break 

 off the portions to which they were affixed, either split the 

 accessory plates, or chipped off' the edges. 



Numerous dead shells were observed lying in like manner 

 upon coral reefs at the island of Bohol, another of the 

 Philippines, as also some living specimens in the same 

 hidden places as at Zebu. The large masses of coral 

 that concealed them, rested immediately on beds of coral 

 sand. 'No hollow space was discoverable around the 

 shells ; they were actually pressed by the immense weight 

 to some depth in the sand, and, from the dark rusty 

 appearance of the time-worn coral, Mr. Cuming concluded 

 that they must have existed in their confined habitat for 

 many years. 



In the genus Kipponyx the cup can only be considered 

 as an irregular accessory, deposited by the foot in order to 



