CHAPTER V. 



Shell-gathering on the Sands — The Amphissa — Dead 

 Shells and Live Ones — Hermit-crabs — The Eel- 

 grass Shells and Where to Find Them — The Bas- 

 ket Shells and Their Habits — Nassa Perpinguis 

 and Nassa Mendica. 



Y\ [HEN the tide is high, the waves often wash up 

 V V great numbers of little shells into sheltered coves, 

 and leave them there to be gathered when the tide has 

 ebbed away. It is very pleasant to lie down upon the 

 warm sand, on a summer afternoon, and while the 

 waves are rushing to and fro at your feet, to look for 

 these beautiful bits of organic structure. Whenever 

 you find a pretty one you put it in a little bag, or, 

 what is more likely, you lay it away in some large 

 shell which you have picked up for that purpose. 



Among the most abundant of the shells to be thus 

 found on our coast is the little Wrinkled Amphissa, 

 Amphissa corrugata, Rve., Am-fis'-sa cor- ru- 

 ga 7 - ta, which is shown in Fig. 14. It is 

 exceedingly abundant along the coast of 

 California, where its common length is only 

 half an inch. In Puget Sound, however, it grows 

 Flg - I4> to a much larger size, being often fully an inch 

 in length, and of corresponding proportions. 



The spire consists of four whorls, separated by a 

 plainly marked suture. Spiral strise, or fine lines, 

 may be found at the base of the shell, above which the 

 whole surface is ornamented with numerous ribs or 



