PREPARATION OF SHELLS. 41 



Well, as I proceeded with my hoeing, my joy 

 increased, for I found them by the hundred, and I 

 had gathered about a thousand before the tide came 

 in so far as to render further work impracticable. 

 They seemed to lie in groups just under the surface 

 of the sand, yet wholly concealed from sight. You 

 must go at the very lowest morning tides, if you 

 wish to gather them, and search till you find the bed ; 

 for they seem to be active burrowers, and to travel 

 rapidly from place to place. 



I took some of them home and put them in a jar 

 of beach-sand and sea-water. You will be pleased to 

 do the same if you ever have the opportunity, for 

 their movements are very interesting. You will then 

 see the plow-shaped foot which quickly digs a hole 

 in the sand, and the long breathing-siphon which 

 curls up through the canal, and reaches through the 

 sand up to the clear water, like the trunk of a swim- 

 ming elephant reaching up for air. 



To clean the shells it is simply necessary to spread 

 them in the sunshine for a few hours, when the ani- 

 mal will be found to be dead and loosened from the 

 shell. The soft parts can then be removed with a 

 pin. 



To clean most shells, however, it is necessary to 

 throw them into boiling water. In a few minutes 

 they can be taken out and the animal withdrawn by a 

 little hook or bent wire. 



If only a part of the body can be obtained, the 

 shell may be securely plugged with cotton. It is well 

 to fill even perfectly cleaned shells, and attach the 

 operculum to the cotton by a drop of glue. They 

 will then appear as if they were living specimens. 

 Much will depend upon one's time and taste for this 



