72 BITTIUM. 



and my crude attempts to remove them from the 

 shells were instructive, if not entertaining. To pre- 

 vent any other young collector from getting into the 

 same troubles, I would advise that after prompt boil- 

 ing, all the soft parts be removed by a pin or bent 

 wire. In shells of this shape, a complete removal of 

 the perishable parts is often very difficult. In such 

 cases, remove all that you can, and then securely plug 

 the hole with cotton, and attach the operculum to the 

 cotton by a drop of glue. 



This shell is commonly an inch or more in length, 

 and consists of about ten strongly ribbed whorls. The 

 outside is dull and black, but the inside is of a glossy 

 brown. The aperture is entire and nearly circular, 

 and is closed by a thin, brown operculum. 



Bittium jilosum, Gld., Bit-ti-um fi-lo'-sum, is shown 

 in Fig. 57. Unlike the last species, which 

 seems to delight in the brackish water of salt 

 marshes, the little Bittiums live in the ocean, 

 and may be found alive at low tide, by turn- 

 Fis-57- iug over stones and searching carefully for 

 their small shells. The dead shells are often inhab- 

 ited by the Hermit Crabs, and are quite abundant in 

 many places, where little shells are apt to be found. 

 This shell is shaped like a short, stout thorn, and 

 varies in length from one-fourth to one-half an inch. 

 The whitish or brownish whorls are eight or ten in 

 number, and are marked by slight spiral grooves. 



Bittiam quadrifilaturn, Cpr., quad-ri-fil-a'-tum. As 

 indicated by its name, the whorls of this shell have 

 four equal spiral threads, which coil over slight cross- 

 ribs. In shape, it is a regular but very slender cone; 

 its color is dark; its length is from one-fourth to one- 

 half an inch; southern. 



