70 GLAUCUS; OR, 
but one more case among hundreds in which pecu- 
liarities, useful doubtless to their original possessors, 
remain, though now useless, in their descendants. 
Just so does the tame ram inherit the now super- 
fluous horns of his primeval wild ancestors, though 
he fights now—if he fights at all—not with his 
horns, but with his forehead. 
Enough of Cardium tuberculatum. Now for 
the other animals of the heap; and first, for those 
long white razors. They, as well as the grey 
scimitars, are Solens, Razor-fish (Solen siliqua and 
S. ensis), burrowers in the sand by that foot 
which protrudes from one end, nimble in escaping 
from the Torquay boys, whom you will see boring 
for them with a long iron screw, on the sands at 
low tide. They are very good to eat, these razor- 
fish ; at least, for those who so think them; and 
aoound in millions upon all our sandy shores.’ 
Now for the tapering brown spires. They are 
Turritelle, snail-like animals (though the form of 
1 These shells are so common that I have not cared to figure 
them, 
