A SUMMER AT HOME. 237 



the foot taking a new hold conartantlj and pulling botli 

 the creature and his house, leaving in the sand a slightly 

 tortuous furrow. Many were moving about in this way, 

 yet they seemed never to collide ; nor did any couple 

 stop and talk. There are very many animals that have 

 observable means of inter-communication of ideas, but 

 mussels are not to be classed with them. Unios may 

 have something in advance of mere consciousness, but 

 it is not demonstrable. 



They know, of course, when the tide falls and rises. 

 As the tide fell, and these sands became bare, the mus- 

 sels rested from their journeying and sank slowly out 

 of sight, leaving no trace behind. I found them to go 

 as deep as eighteen inches ; and at other times — for I 

 could not wait to see it repeated this evening — I have 

 watched them returning, as the waters slowly crept over 

 the sand. They came with it. No sooner was there a 

 trace of clear water above the river-shore, than a point 

 of shells could be seen peeping through, and minute 

 after minute this shell kept pace with the steadily deep- 

 ening waters, until the whole surface was once more ex- 

 posed. 



At such times, the least unusual motion will startle 

 them, and back again into the loose sand they go, re- 

 maining for several minutes. If by this time the water 

 has materially deepened, and they have had their fears 

 allayed, they are less deliberate in their movements, and 

 with two or three jumps, if I may call them so, they 

 come again to the smooth surface of the sand. 



These mussels of the river and Crosswicks Creek are 

 not the only bivalves that are found here. If we dip 



