this family, furnishing as it does the beau- tail, is quite bewildering. In Europe, the 

 tiful pearls of commerce. These animals scallop is considered quite a delicacy and 

 are found at Madagascar, Ceylon and several tons are gathered annually. One 

 other parts of the Indian Ocean, several species (Pecten jacobaeus) has been dig- 

 hundred tons being imported into Europe nified as a badge of several orders of 

 annually. These pearls are formed by knighthood and it was also worn by pil- 

 some irritating substance, as a grain of grims to the Holy Land a good many 

 sand or some parasite, getting in between years ago. It was called "St. James' 

 the shell and the animal, or lodging in Shell." 



some soft part, which causes the animal The most common shell to the layman 



to cover it with pearly matter to prevent is the oyster (Ostrea virginica), the culti- 



irritation. The shells also furnish a con- vation of which occupies the attention of 



siderable part of the "mother-o'-pearl" a large number of men and the invest- 



which is so largely used for ornamental ment of considerable capital. The oyster 



purposes. The Margaritifera radiata, fig- is free and active when young, but be- 



ured on our plate, is a member of this comes attached to some submerged ob- 



family. ject early in life. Oyster culturists take 



The scallop is an object well known to advantage of this habit by erecting poles 



the tourist visiting New England sum- in the water to which the young oysters 



mer resorts, who has reveled in "fried attach themselves. The shells of the dif- 



scallops." The family to which this be- ferent species of oyster are not generally 



longs (Pectinidae) is composed of round- of much beauty, but a related family, the 



ed shells, many with frills or ribs and Spondylidae, or spiny oysters, are among 



nearly all ornamented with beautiful col- the most beautiful of bivalves. In this 



ors. Unlike the animals which we have family the shell is ornamented by many 



been considering, these mollusks have no long spines and frills, and the colors are 



siphons and the shell is open all the way different shades of red, yellow anc^.pink. 



around save at. the hinge, and the edge The most beautiful species are forind in 



of the mantle is provided with little, the Gulf of California, 

 round, black eyes. It is an interesting The space at our command is far too 



sight to observe a beach at low water, the limited to adequately discuss the many 



receding tide having left on the shore or curious and interesting animals which 



in little pools of water hundreds of these make up the class Pelecypoda. Much 



mollusks, attached by a byssus to bits of might be said of the Solen or razor-shell, 



sea weed. As one is gazing wonderingly with its curious foot which is so great a 



over this vast field of yellow sand and help in digging burrows ; of the Pholads, 



green weed, an object will suddenly move which perforate and make burrows in 



through a pool of water with astonishing clay, wood and even in the hardest rock ; 



rapidity, accompanying the movement by and of the strange Teredo or "ship- 



a quick snapping sound. This is the worm," with a long, worm-like body 



scallop, which is imprisoned in the pool which bores into ships, wharves and any 



and which desires to get out. The move- wooden object within reach. But enough 



ment is effected by rapidly closing and has been written and pictured to show the 



opening the two valves of the shell, there- reader that the unpretentious clam, mus- 



by causing a clicking sound. The noise sel or oyster and their relatives have 



of several hundred of these shells open- many interesting habits, are encased in 



ing and closing and the sight of as many beautiful shells, and that some species are 



scallops with strings of sea weed attached of great economic importance to man. 

 to them, shooting through the water, Frank Collins Baker, 



looking not unlike a comet with a long 



31 



