MYTILID^E. MUSSEL. 65 



as barriers against the sea; therefore, while it is im- 

 portant for the inhabitants, who claim a right by custom 

 to take mussels and other shellfish from the shore, it 

 is equally important for the lord of the manor to do his 

 utmost to prevent these natural friends of his embank- 

 ments and jetties, from being removed in large quan- 

 tities from his part of the shore. 



According to Mr. Frank Buckland, the mussel is a 

 great hindrance to the development of oyster-beds. 

 " The mussel spat is sent forth, and the young mussels 

 fall down upon the oyster-beds, and spin their webs 

 over them, like beautiful silk ropes, by means of which 

 they hold on to rocks and other things. They accu- 

 mulate the mud, and the mud covers the oysters." 



Neumann tells us that calcined mussel-shells make 

 strong lime and bind quickly, and that shell-lime is 

 generally considered stronger than stone- lime. Mussel- 

 shells, when polished, make pretty pincushions and 

 needle-books, and at the colourists they are filled with 

 gold, silver, and bronze, and sold for heraldic painting 

 and illuminating. It was in one of these shells, also, 

 in which the witch, in the quaint old story, put to sea 

 for the purpose of wrecking her enemy's ships. 



A large species of mussel, called awabi, or awabee, 

 is said to be used in Japan as a new year's gift. The 

 day is spent in paying respects, visiting, and giving 

 presents to friends and relatives, and they mostly con- 

 sist of awabi. I believe, however, that it was not a 

 mussel that was given as a new year's gift, but the 

 large Haliotis gigantea, which is called awabi, by the 

 Japanese, as we shall presently see. Awabi, in days of 

 yore, were the first sustenance and support of the 

 Japanese, as acorns were formerly the primitive diet 



