OF CONCHOLOGY. 95 



been found in the mud, at the bottom 

 of the ocean. This last mentioned 

 shell is the Teredo Gigantea, and has 

 been described to be five feet four 

 inches in length, nine inches in cir- 

 cumference at the larger end, and two 

 and one half inches at the smaller. 

 See Philosophical Transactions of the 

 Royal Society for 1810. 



The Teredo Navalis has been 

 termed, in this country, the ship 

 worm ; it insinuates itself into the 

 bottoms of ships, even although the 

 oak is perfectly sound, and in a very 

 short time completely destroys it. 

 This destructive creature was origi- 

 nally brought by our vessels from 

 tropical climates ; but has now be- 

 come an inhabitant of most of the har- 

 bours of this island, and is very com- 

 mon in Plymouth Dock. 



We think it has been pretty clearly 

 proved by that learned and very inde-^ 

 fatigable naturalist, George Montagu s 



