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tlier by membranes. The body of the animal is in- 

 closed in a case. The part whereby it exercises all ltd 

 motions, is placed in the centre. This is principally 

 designed to perform the office of a leg, and acquits it- 

 self exceeding well : it is ileshy, cylindrical, and pretty 

 long. The extremity of it, when necessary, can roll it- 

 self up like a ball. View the cutler when extended on 

 the sand : you behold it working, in order to pierce into 

 it. It thrusts out its leg at the lower end of the shell ; 

 stretches it, and causes the extremity of it to assume 

 the form of a shovel that is sharp on both sides, and 

 terminates in a point : it directs it towards the sand, 

 and applies the edge and point for introducing it far- 

 ther. After the aperture is made, it extends its leg still 

 more, and causes it to penetrate deeper into the sand : 

 he bends it like a hook, with which taking hold of a 

 support, he draws the shell to him, forcing it upright by 

 degrees, and afterwards causes it to descend into the 

 hole. Is he disposed still to continue sinking? He 

 thrusts his whole leg out of the shell ; fixes in the sand 

 the ball which is then at its extreme part ; immediately 

 contracts this leg; his large head, which is strongly 

 fixed in the hole, being less inclined to re-ascend than 

 the shell is to go downwards, the cutler descends into 

 the sand, which is his first step into it : he has nothing 

 to do but to repeat the same operations, in order to ad- 

 vance farther and farther into it. Is he disposed to go 

 up again to the surface 1 He pushes forth the ball, 

 and at the same time makes an effort to extend his leg ; 

 the ball, which is averse to a descent, presses the shell 

 towards the top of the hole. It is pretty remarkable, 

 that the cutler, which lives in salt water, dreads the 

 touch of salt : if a pinch of it be cast into his hole, he 

 will come out of it immediately. But if he be caught, 

 and afterwards permitted to re-enter his cell, it will be 

 in vain to throw salt into it, since he will not quit it on 

 that account. It is said by some, that he remembers 

 having been taken ; and this is so true, that when peo*- 

 ple do not catch him, he may be made to come out at 

 one's pleasure, by throwing some fresh salt into the 

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