276: 



poses it spins artificially, as spiders their webs, which 

 they fasten against a wall. 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 together. 



To have some fix'ed resting place where the muscle 

 can continue, and take in its accidental food,seems the 

 seat that this animal chiefly desires. Its instrument of 

 motion by which it contriTes 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. This the animal has a power 

 of thrusting out of its shell ; and with this it is capable 

 of making a slit 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 purposeof an arm, and thus carries its 

 shell edge-ways, as in a groove, until it reaches thti 

 point intended. Then 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. agita- 

 tions of the waters. Sometimes the animal is attached 

 by a large number of threads ; sometimes but by 

 three or four, that seem scarce able to retain it. When 

 thi- muscle is fixed in this manner, it lives upon the* 

 little earthy particles that the water transports to its 

 shells, and jurhapsthe flesh of the most diminutive 

 animals. Howeter, it dots not fail to grow consider- 

 ably ; aud some of this kind have been found a foot 

 long I have seen the beards of afoot and a half; 

 and of tins substance the natives of Palermo make 

 gloves and stocking. 



Oysters usually cast their spawn in May, which at 

 first appears like drops of candle-grease ; and stick to 



