68 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 
In his lecture upon “ Dragons and Rain Gods,” which 
is now in course of publication in the Bulletin of the John 
Rylands Library, Dr. Elliot Smith called attention to the 
fact that the American “long-nosed ” or elephant-headed 
god (which represents the [Indian /zdvra) has also the same 
attributes as the dragon in China and India. The “long- 
nosed” god is sometimes represented emerging from the 
shell, like the dragon of the Venables coat of arms. 
Regarding the supposed relations between the moon 
and shells, the following remarks, given by Johnston, in 
his “ Introduction to Conchology,” are not without interest. 
He tells us that “among the earlier naturalists it seems to 
have been a prevalent belief, that oysters and other bi- 
valves were fat and in season at the full moon, and lean 
and out of season at the new moon.’ On this point, 
Cicero (“ De Div.,” ii. 14) states: “ Ostreis et conchyliis 
omnibus contingit, ut cum luna pariter crescant, pariterque 
decrescant.” Gellius tells the following story: “ The poet 
Annianus, on his Falerian estate, was wont to spend the 
time of vintage in a jovial and agreeable way ; and he 
had invited me and several other friends to pass those 
days with him. When we were at supper there, a large 
quantity of oysters was brought from Rome; but when 
they were set before us, they proved, though many, 
yet all poor and thin. The moon (remarked Annianus) 
is now in truth waning; and on that account the oyster, 
like other things, is lean and void of juice. We asked 
what other things waste when the moon is old? Do not 
you remember (said he) what Lucilius says ?— 
‘Luna alit ostrea, et implet echinos, maribu fibras 
It pecui addit.’ 
Those very things which grow with the moon’s increase 
pine away as it wanes; the eyes of cats also become 
fuller or smaller according to the changes of the moon. 
