MULTIVALVE SHELLS. 29 



the valves strongly and irregularly ribbed, interstices delicately 

 striated transversely ; colour purple, inhabits the West Indies. 



These are termed acorn shells in Britain. This genus consists of two 

 families or divisions, very dififerent in their shape. The first of which is 

 the Balani, or Acorn shells, of a subconic form, with an operculum or lid, 

 consisting of either four or six valves. The body of the shell has six valves. 

 The second family is the Anatiferous, which are connected to, and sup- 

 ported at the base by a tendinous tube or pedicle, of a flexible nature, allow- 

 ing the animal to writhe about in quest of food ; it has no operculum, is 

 wedge-shaped, and consists of five or more unequal valves. 



Lepas anatifera. — The Goose Lepas. Plate I. fig. 2. (Ana- 

 tifa IsBvis, Lamarck.) Shell compressed, with five obsoletely 

 striated valves ; the lower valves somewhat triangular ; the su- 

 perior ones long, and tapering to an obtuse point ; connected by 

 an orange-coloured cartilage ; base affixed to a peduncle of a co- 

 lour between vermilion and orange. 



This shell generally adheres to pieces of rotten wood or the bottoms of 

 vessels, and is found in almost all seas. 



Linneas founded the name of this shell on the circumstance that it was 

 from it that the Barnacle Goose was supposed to have had its origin. Ger- 

 ard's account of this transformation, as it affords a remarkable instance of 

 the credulity of the times, is too curious to be omitted. '■ There are found 

 in the north parts of Scotland, and the islands adjacent called Orchades, cer- 

 tain trees whereon do grow certain shells tending to russet, wherein are 

 contained little living creatures, which shells in time of maturitie do open, 

 and out of them grow those little living things, which falling into the 

 water do become fowles, which we call Barnacles ; in the north of England 

 Brant Geese ; and in Lancashire, Tree Geese ; but the others that do fall up- 

 on the land perish and come to nothing. Thus much from the writings of 

 others, and also from the mouths of people of those parts, which may very 

 well accord with truth. 



" But what our eyes have scene and hands have touched we shall declare. 

 There is a small island in Lancashire called the Hill of Flounders, wherein 

 are found in the broken pieces of old ships, some whereof have been cast 

 thither by shipracke, and also the trunks and bodies with the branches of 

 old and rotten trees, cast up there likewise : whereon is found a certain 

 spume or froth that in time breedith into certain shells, in shape like those 

 of the Muskle, but sharper pointed, and of a whitish colour, wherein is con- 

 tained a thing in form like a lace of silk, finely woven as it were, together, 

 of a whitish colour, one end whereof is fastened into the inside of the shell, 

 even as the fish of Oysters and Muskles are ; the other end is made fast un- 

 to the belly of a rude mass or lurape, which in time commeth to the shape 

 and form of a bird ; wlien it is perfectly formed the shell gapeth open, and 

 the first thing that appearelh is the foresaid lace or string ; next comes the 

 legs of the bird hanging out, and as it grovveth greater it openeth the shell 

 by degrees, till at length it is ail come forth, and hangeth only by the bill ; 

 in short space often it cometh to full maturitie, and falleth into the sea, 

 where itgathcreth feathers, and groweth to a fowl bigger than a Millard, 

 and lesser than a Goos •, having- black legs, bill or beake, and feathers black 



