Mussel and Coclde. 99 



colour of tlie sliell also varies considerably,, being 

 sometimes of a delicate rose colour ; at otliers, more 

 of a claret ; at o titers again bordering on purple. 

 It was for one of the first discovered specimens of 

 tliis shell that £1000 is said to have been given. 

 Truly a Venus of value this ; it ought to be called 

 the Queen of Cockles ! 



Our next examples (see Fig. 4), is the Spotted 

 Tridacna [T. macidatus) , the latter term signifying 

 spotted. In the Ghamidce, or Clam family, is placed 

 the Tridacna genus, the discovered species of which 

 are not numerous ; they are chiefly found in the 

 Indian seas. The one above-mentioned claims pre- 

 eminence for beauty. We cannot quite see the 

 applicability of the generic name; Tridacnusj in 

 Latin, signifies to be eaten at three bites, but he 

 must be a man of large capacity indeed who could 

 so devour the head of this family, the Giant Tri- 

 dacna (jP. gig as) y a single specimen of which has 

 been known to weigh as much as five hundred and 

 seventy pounds ; from three to four hundred is by 

 no means an uncommon size. The shell of this 

 giant mollusk is of a very picturesque shape, some- 

 thing hke its spotted congener (as we call anything 

 of the same kind or genus), only it is somewhat 

 plainer, and more deeply ribbed and indented. The 



