OYSTERS AND SMALL CLAMS 



63 



rude^ Whiteaves. It also 

 lives on the "Sea Mouse." 



We now come to two lit- 

 tle shells, very smooth and 

 pretty, the first of which is 

 named Kellia laperousii^ 

 Desh., after the French ex- 

 plorer. La Perouse. We 

 will call it the Smooth 

 Kelly-shell. When living 

 it is covered with a shining, 

 light brown epidermis. The 

 ligament is small and inter- 

 nal. This little nestler 

 lives in sheltered places, 

 such as holes in the rocks; 

 often in the deserted homes 

 of the piddocks, or rock- 

 borers. I once found a 

 whole colony of them of 

 different ages, all living Fig. 37(*): 



happily together within the valves of a dead clam. 

 The shell is somewhat oval in shape, and is about 

 half an inch in length. 



Kellia suhorhicularis^ Montagu, the Globose 

 Kelly-shell, is a thin, delicate little bivalve, about 

 one-third of an inch in length. The little creature 

 can spin a byssus with its foot and attach itself at 

 will to any projecting object. It is often found 

 among the twisted holdfasts of seaweeds. It is an 

 interesting fact that this species lives not only on 

 this coast, but is found in European waters as well, 



