98 



Part second. 



of interest, as its columns have a zone 6 feet high marked with 

 the holes formed by them. It is hence concluded that the temple 

 must have sunk under the level of the sea for a time and then 

 been raised again. 



Deeply buried in the sand may be found the Razor-shells, 

 Solen (fig. i66) and Solecurtus (fig. 165), which are sought after 

 as delicacies. They are sold on the market with other edible shells 

 as Fruits of the Sea {Frutti di mare), and are eaten 'raw. 



Fig. 166. Solen vagina, V2 nat. size, on the left the foot, 

 on tlie right the respiratory tubes. 



While all the above named bivalves afford examples of the 

 still-life of the ocean, the Cockle and Scallop are by no means 

 slow of movement. The Cockle, Cardium (fig. 152), is a genus 

 comprising many species; it derives the Latin name from the form 

 of its shell. Tlie animal has a long bent foot of a brilliant red 

 colour, and knows how to make good use of it. It presses it on 

 the ground, stiffens it out by forcing blood into it, and in this way 

 clears a distance of several feet; this jumping seems a most sur- 

 prising movement for a shell to make, but it is not solely restricted 

 to the Cockles. They can also burrow very rapidly in the sand, using 

 the bent foot as a hook. It is a very toothsome shellfish and is 

 collected in enormous quantities on the British and French coasts. 



The Scallop is one of the most widely known shells, the largest 

 species, Pecten jacobaeus (Fig. 25), having been used for ages by 

 the pilgrims returning from the Holy Land as a decoration of 

 their hats and dress. The animal bears all round the margin of 

 the mantle numerous short tentacles, and small beady eyes which 

 shine like precious stones; these can easily be seen when the shell 

 is open. Their mode of progression is remarkable. An animal 

 which has been quietly lying on the floor of the tank will un- 

 expectedly raise itself from the bottom and jump through the 

 water with quick leaps in an upward direction. This is brought 

 about by the snapping to of the valves of the shell and it is easily 

 to understand that the back-kick on squirting out the water would 

 suddenly cause the animal to move. The direction of the move- 

 ment is, however, puzzling, for instead of moving with the hinge 

 in front, it does so in the direction of the free edge of the shell. 

 The explanation of this is that the opening through which the 

 water is forced out lies close to the hinge. The larger species have 

 a flat and concave shell. The latter is used for culinary purposes, 

 to carry the "Ragout fin en coquille*'. 



