78 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [372] 



quite peculiar, and when it is fully extended it has a singular appear 

 ance. The general color is usually orange-brown, and it is thickly 

 speckled with darker brown. This shell is devoured in large numbers 

 by the flounders, and doubtless by other fishes. 



A number of species which habitually live clinging to eel-grass are 

 to be found in the localities where this plant flourishes, either in the 

 pools or at low- water mark, but they are not peculiar to or character 

 istic of muddy shores. Among these the most common are Antyris 

 lunata, (p. 306:) Bittium niyrum, (p. 305;) Triforis nigrocinctus, (p. 305;) 

 and Lacuna vincta, (p. 305.) The Littorina irrorata is occasionally 

 found in sheltered situations, but this region is north of its true range, 

 and such specimens as are found may have been introduced from far 

 ther south with oysters. It is very abundant on the southern coast. 

 The Urosalpinx cinerca (p. 306) occurs wherever there are beds of oys 

 ters, upon which it feeds. 



Most of the bivalve shells to be found on muddy shores have already 

 been enumerated as living also on the sheltered sandy shores, and the 

 majority of them flourish equally on both kinds of shores, and on those 

 of a mixed or intermediate character. Among these are Mya arenaria, 

 (p. 309;) Macoma fusca, (p. 358;) Anynlus tener, (p. 358;) Venus merce- 

 nariciy (p. 359;) Argina pexata, (p. 309:) Mytilm edulis, (p. 307;) Pccten 

 irmdians, (p. 361.) There are, however, other species that are almost 

 peculiar to muddy shores, and are highly characteristic of them. The 

 Pliolas truncata (Plate XXVII, fig. 200) excavates deep holes in depos 

 its of tenacious clay at all elevations between tides, and is still more 

 frequently found living in holes in the borders of peat-bogs, or marsh 

 deposits, W hich have been encroached upon by the sea. In such places 

 they sometimes occur nearly up to the ordinary high-w T ater mark. 

 Their holes are round and nearly perpendicular, and increase in size 

 from the orifice downward. They vary in depth according to the size 

 of the shell; the deeper ones are often a foot or a foot and a half in 

 depth and often an inch in diameter. The shell remains near the bot 

 tom and stretches out its long siphon tubes, which are united together 

 quite to the end, until the tips reach the external orifice of the burrow 

 These tubes are generally yellowish w r hite except at the end, where they 

 are blackish or brownish ; the orifices and papillae are also variously 

 marked with purplish brown or dark brown. The dark coloration of 

 the end of the siphon tubes is doubtless for purposes of protection from 

 predacious fishes, crabs, &c. Its foot is short and stout, obliquely trun 

 cated, and bevelled at the end. The Petricola pholadiformis (Plate 

 XXVII, fig. 199) is generally associated with the preceding species and 

 is more abundant. Its habits are nearly the same, but it does not make 

 its burrows so deep ; it is more active in its motions, and can easily 

 climb up to the upper part of its hole by means of its long, thin, white 

 foot, which is tongue-shaped and very extensible and flexible. The 

 siphon-tubes are long and slender, tapering, and united for about a 



