Various Species of Mussels. 203 



pass current with it. The more delicate kind of the edible 

 mussel, distinguished as var. pellucida, has already been 

 mentioned as often fixing itself to the buoys and wrecks in 

 our deeper channels. But examples have been picked up at 

 Margate, and we have found some at Southend Pier-head and 

 elsewhere even settled among batches of the common sort in 

 the cultivated beds, and sold accordingly, delicacy of flavour 

 being notable. Its tenuity of shell, as compared with the 

 ordinary mussel, its light browny colour, and longitudinal 

 purple streak-lines, are quite diagnostic. 



(2) The so-called HORSE MUSSEL (Mytilus modiolus), from 

 its large size (often twice as big; as the common sort) and 

 other features, is as easily recognised. Their local name in 

 Kent is " squibs." They are far from being so numerous as 

 the trade mussel, though in suitable places in all our estuaries 

 it occasionally conies up in the dredge. We have come across 

 a good many in the cultivated beds, doubtless brought thither 

 with the mussel dredgings obtained on more seaward localities 

 Kentish Flats for example. Unlike M. edulis, with its deep 

 bluish-black coloured shell, that of the horse mussel is of a 

 rich orange and dark-brown tint. In shape it is more oblong, 

 and not usually so triangular as in the common species. The 

 flesh is of a darker orange and the foot ruddier than in the 

 edible kind. When in the fresh state the epidermis (outer 

 shell-skin) is seen to possess rows of cross-fringes, and there 

 are other characters unnecessary to mention. Suffice to say 

 the horse mussel in due course is sent to market without 

 scruple. As food it is said by some to be coarser-fleshed and 

 tougher than its congener, while others who have partaken of 

 it in the north give it preference. It stands heat and removal 

 from the deep water badly. When transferred to the beds 

 that dry up it often is killed by the sun's rays. 



(3) The BEARDED MUSSEL (Mytilus barbatus), and (4) the 

 ADRIATIC MUSSEL (M. adriaticus) are two small-sized, yellow- 

 ruddy, unimportant forms, somewhat rare in Kent and Essex 

 waters. There are three other still smaller mussels belonging 



