TESTACEOUS FISHES. 



(589 



of the body, seems impossible to be manufac- 

 tured by the thrusting out and drawing in of 

 the tongue, with the glutinous matter of which 

 the French philosopher supposed those threads 

 were formed. It is even found to increase 

 with the growth of the anim >1 ; and as the 

 muscle becomes larger and older, the beard 

 becomes longer and its filaments more strong." 

 Be this as it will, nothing is more certain than 

 that the muscle is found attached by these 

 threads to every fixed object; sometimes, 

 indeed, for want of such an object, these 

 animals are found united to each other; 

 and though thrown into a lake separately, 

 they are taken out in bunches of many to- 

 gether. 



To have some fixed resting place where the 

 muscle can continue, and take in its acciden- 

 tal food, seems the state that this animal chief- 

 ly desires. Its instrument of motion, by which 

 it contrives to reach the object it wants to 

 bind itself to, is that muscular substance re- 

 sembling a tongue, which is found long in 

 proportion to the size of the muscle. In 

 some it is two inches long, in others not a 

 third part of these dimensions. This the ani- 

 mal has a power of thrusting out of its shell ; 

 and with this it is capable of making a slight 

 furrow in the sand at the bottom. By means 

 of this furrow it can erect itself upon the edge 

 of its shell ; and thus continuing to make the 

 furrow in proportion as it goes forward, it 

 reaches out its tongue, that answers the pur- 

 pose of an arm, and thus carries its shell edge- 

 ways, as in agroove, until it reaches the point 

 intended. There, where it determines to take 

 up its residence, it fixes the ends of its beard, 

 which are glutinous, to the rock or the object, 

 whatever it be; and thus, like a ship at anchor, 

 braves all the agitations of the water. Some- 

 times the animal is attached by a large num- 

 ber of threads ; sometimes but by three or 

 four, that seem scarce able to retain it. When 

 the muscle is fixed in this manner, it lives 

 upon the little earthy particles that the water 

 transports to its shells, and perhaps the flesh 

 of the most diminutive animals. However, it 

 does not fail to grow considerably ; and some 

 of this kind have been found a foot long. I 

 have seen the beards a foot and a half; and 



Mercier du Paty,sur le bouchots & moules. Tom. ii. 

 1' Academic de la Rochelle. 



of this substance the natives of Palermo some- 

 times make gloves and stockings. 



These shell-fish are found in lakes, rivers, 

 and in the sea. Those of the lake often grow 

 to a very large size ; but they seem a solitary 

 animal, and are found generally separate from 

 each other. Those of rivers are not so large, 

 but yet in greater abundance ; but the sea- 

 muscle of all others is perhaps the most plenty. 

 These are often bred artificially in salt-water 

 marshes that are overflowed by the tide ; the 

 fishermen throwing them in at the proper sea- 

 sons ; and there being undisturbed by the 

 agitations of the sea, and not preyed upon by 

 their powerful enemies at the bottom, they cast 

 their eggs, which soon become perfect animals, 

 and these are generally found in clusters ol 

 several dozens together. It requires a year 

 for the peopling a muscle bed ; so (hat, if the 

 number consists of forty thousand, a tenth 

 part may annually be left for the peopling 

 the bed anew. Muscles are taken from 

 their beds from the month of July to Octo- 

 ber ; and they are sold at a very moderate 

 price. 



From this animal the oyster differs very 

 little, except in the thickness of its shell, and 

 its greater imbecility. The oyster, like the 

 muscle, is formed with organs of life and res- 

 piration, with intestines which are very volu- 

 minous, and liver, lungs, and heart. Like the 

 muscle, it is self-impregnated ; and the shell, 

 which the animal soon acquires, serves it for 

 its future habitation. Like the muscle, it 

 opens its shell to receive the influx of water ; 

 and like that animal is strongly attached to its 

 shells both above and below. 



But it differs in many particulars. In the 

 first place its shells are not equal, the one be- 

 ing cupped, the other flat ; upon the cupped 

 shell it is always seen to rest ; for if it lay upon 

 the flat side it would then lose all its water. 

 It differs also in the thickness of its shells, 

 which are so strongly lined and defended, that 

 no animal will attempt to pierce them. But 

 though the oyster be secured from the attacks 

 of the small reptiles at the bottom, yet it often 

 serves as an object to which they are attached. 

 Pipe-worms, and other little animals, fix their 

 habitation to the oyster's sides, and in this 

 manner continue to live in security. Among 

 the number of these is a little red worm, that 

 is often found upon the shell ; which some, 



