SECTION XII. 259 



or horizontally, without any prop or fo- 

 lid body to reft on, but are upheld or 

 fuftained only by a ftrong adhefion of 

 their tubes or perforated beaks to the fides 

 of the cavities, as if in the adlion of fuck- 

 ing ; and this pofition is the general one 

 of the recent kinds *. 



The interior ftrufture of one of the re- 

 cent kinds feems alfo not at all particu- 

 larly adapted to the efpecial ufe of open- 

 ing the Shells. It confifts of a griftly or 

 boney thin ftring, which twifts in and out to 

 above half-way within the Shells, like the 



* I believe the hole in the beak of the Conchse 

 Anomiae is for the purpofe of tranfmitting a ftrong Li- 

 gament or griftly fubftance, by which they adhere 

 firmly to the rocks, corals, &c. in the fame manner as 

 that clafs of Shells commonly called Bears Paws j 

 at leaft fome fpecies of them have an opening be- 

 tween the two valves on one lide the hinge, through 

 which palTes, from the inlide of the Shells, a ftrong li- 

 gament, whereby the fifh adheres firmly to rocks, co- 

 rals, &c. I have feen this fpecies of Shell fticking in 

 this manner to coral. 



S 2 twiftings 



