CHITON COAT OF MAIL. 199 



sea, and thus contrives frequently to escape the 

 vigilance of its enemies. The mollusca of the 

 Chitons are of the same form as their shells, the 

 plates of which are fixed in the mantle ; the gills 

 surround their bodies ; they breathe only water, 

 and have a fleshy foot, upon which they creep. 

 Their abode is in the sea at an inconsiderable 

 depth near the shore. They fix themselves for 

 a time to rocks and stones, but they can remove 

 at pleasure. The situation and formation of the 

 valves resemble the plates which constitute a 

 suit of armour, or coat of mail; and to this 

 resemblance the shell owes its name, which is 

 derived from x<v (chiton) a coat of mail. 



CHITON Fasdcndaris. 

 TUFTED CHITON. 



Specific character. Shell with eight valves, 

 apparently smooth, but when viewed through a 

 glass, found to be rough like shagreen, except 

 on the elevated dorsal ridge ; the margin is 

 surrounded with tufts of whitish hairs at the 

 junction of each valve, there are also two tufts in 

 front, making altogether eighteen. The colour 

 is brown or dark gray, often mottled ; the length 

 is rather less than an inch. 



The animal of this Chiton adheres to oysters 

 and other shells, and with them inhabits the 

 deep ; it is also found on stones. It is not 

 uncommon on the coast of Devonshire ; on those 

 of Barbary it occurs of a much larger size. 



