166 COLLECTING AND CLEANING SHELLS. 



vake used by gardeners, except that from the two extremities 

 of the cross iron proceed two iron branches, which are attached 

 to the handle, and which form, with the cross piece, a kind of 

 semicircle. This semicircle serves for attachment and aperture 

 to a net, in shape of a bag. This rake is fixed by the end of a 

 handle to a rope, by means of which, fishers^ in a boat, draw it 

 in by the help of a capstan. The teeth of the rake drag along 

 the bottom of the sea, and detach the marine bodies which ad- 

 here to it i these are received into the net, by means of which 

 they are brought up to the surface. 



Land shells inhabit nearly every country of the globe. They 

 are found in woods, hedges, and gardens, where they take up 

 their residence either in the hollows of trees, crevices of rocks, 

 holes in old walls, the roots of hedges, under stones, amongst 

 moss ; or adhere to the branches and stumps of trees, and under 

 the shade of leaves, or amongst nettles, or other weeds. It is 

 during the day that they retire to those situations, and in the 

 evening they are met with crawling abroad ; or in the day time 

 when the weather is moist and rainy. 



Fresh Water Shells are to be met with in almost every 

 lake, pond, river, and ditch, either lurking in the mud at the 

 bottom, or crawling on leaves, or on the sides of the lakes, &c. 

 For ordinary purposes, a tin spoon must be used to search for 

 them ; this is like the head of a dredge box, of four inches and 

 a half diameter, perforated with numerous small holes, not ex- 

 ceeding the sixteenth part of an inch caliber. To this must be 

 attached a handle for the reception of a walking stick or other 

 piece of wood. With this spoon the Conchologist must rake 

 along the surface of the mud and sand at the bottom of ditches, 

 rivulets or ponds, and having brought a quantity to the surface, 

 the mud must be washed entirely away, and the shells, if there 

 are any, will remain behind. 



For the Anodonta Cygnea, and other large species, which 

 burrow deep in the mud, a different sort of net is necessary. 

 This consists of an iron triangle of twelve inches, by seven at 

 the base, to which a hollow upright handle is affixed, and in this 

 is inserted a pole of sufficient length to reach the bottom. It 

 must be firmly screwed to the handle. A net of twine or hair- 

 cloth is attached to the triangle. The point of the triangle 

 should be shai'p, so that it may the more easily penetrate the 



