324 INTRODUCTION TO CONCHOLOGY. 



The Angulated Ark {J. angulatd), found attached to a 

 branch of coral, at the depth of eighty fathoms, in Cum- 

 berland Bay, Juan Ternandez, much resembles a flat Indian 

 canoe. If the " tiny people ^' ever pursued their midnight 

 revels on moon-lit waves, shells of this kind of Area would 

 serve as boats, wherein to row merrily among those waving 

 branches of giant sea- weeds, which lift up their heads 

 above the waters. 



Of equal, or perhaps superior beauty, and suggestive of 

 poetic thoughts, is the Step-built Ark, A, gradata. The 

 inhabitant moors his bark to stones at St. Elena, and the 

 sculpture of his shell stands out in such prominent relief, 

 as to present the appearance of elaborate carving : such, 

 also, is the case with the A. ccelata, of which the sculpture 

 is so exquisite as only to equalled by the most dehcate em- 

 bossed carving of the Chinese. 



Pectunculus. — Shell orbicular, somewhat lenticular, equi- 

 valve, rather equilateral, often covered with hairy epidermis; 

 umboes slightly separated, intervening area small ; margins 

 of the teeth mostly crenulated. Hinge curved, teeth nu- 

 merous, and oblique middle ones mostly obsolete. Liga- 

 ment external. — Such are the distinguishing characteristics 

 of this genus, including about fifty species, many of which 



