258 OF MULTIVALVE SHELL-FISH. 



but the animal refiding within the fliell has not only life, but feme degree 

 of voracioufnefs ; it has a cover to open and fhut its fhell at pleafure, 

 and twelve long crooked arnns, furnifhed with hair, which it thrufts forth 

 for its prey, and eight fmaller, which are generally kept in the fhell. 

 They are found adhering to every fubftance in the ocean ; rocks, roots 

 of trees, (hips' bottonns, whales, lobfters, and even crabs, like bunches 

 of grapes clung to each other. It is amufing enough to behold their 

 operations : when the fea is calm, they are feen opening the lid, and 

 peeping about them ; they then thruft out their long neck, look round 

 them for fome time, and then abruptly retreat back into their box, fhut 

 their lid, and lurk in darknefs and lecurity. Some people eat them. 



Of all the Ihelly tribe, the Pholades are the moft wonderful. 

 They are found in different places ; fometimes in their proper fhell, 

 at the bottom of the water ; fometimes concealed in lumps of marly 

 earth ; fometimes lodged, fhell and all, in the body of the hardeft mar- 

 ble. In their proper fhell they afTume different figures ; but, in general, 

 they fomewhat refemble a mufTel, except that their fhell is compofed of 

 five or more pieces, the fmaller ferving to clofe the openings left by the 

 irregular meeting of the two principal. 



This animal, when divefled of its fhell, is roundifh and fofr, with two 

 teeth, but placed fo as to be incapable of touching the hollow furface 

 of its flony dwelling. It has two covers to its fhell, that open and fhut 

 at either end ; but the inftrument with which it performs its operations, 

 and buries itfelf in the hardefl rocks, is a broad flefhy fubflance, fome- 

 what refembling a tongue, ifTuing from the bottom of its fhell. With 

 this foft yielding inflrument, it perforates the mofl folid marbles : and 

 having, while yet little and young, made its way by a very narrow en- 

 trance into the fubftance of the ftone, when it begins to grow bigger, it 

 enlarges the apartment. By flow fuccefTive applications, it efFeds what 

 other animals are incapable of performing by force ; fuch is the power of 

 perfevering patience. While yet naked and very fmall, it has effe(5led 

 an entrance, and buried its body in the ftone: it there continues for life 

 at its eafe. The fea-water that enters the aperture fupplying it with 

 plenty, it quickly grows larger, and finds a neceffity of enlarging its ha^. 

 bitation and its fhell ; in proportion as it becomes larger, it makes its 

 way farther into the rock : when it has got a certain way in, it hollows 

 downward, till its habitation, when completed, refembles the bowl of a 

 tobacco-pipe j the hole in the fhank being that by which the animal en* 

 tcred. Thus immured, the Pholas lives in darknefs, indolence, and 



plenty, 



