168 



species of pholades (pholus Chilonsisj which iha 

 inhabitants call comes. The shell is bivalve, but 

 has some cretaceous appendages on the upper 

 part^ and is often six inches long and two 

 broad. 



Barnacles of various species are found iu 

 abundance upon all the coast. Of these, one 

 called the parrot-bill ( lepas psittacus ) is much 

 esteemed b_y the inhabitants. From ten to twentj' 

 of these animals inhabit as many small separate 

 cells, formed in a pyramid of a cretaceous sub- 

 stance. These pyramids are usually attached to 

 the steepest parts of rocks^ at the water's edge^, 

 and the animal derives its subsistence from the 

 sea by means of a little hole at the top of each 

 cell The shell consists of six valves, two large 

 and four small; the large ones project externally 

 in the form of a parrot's bill, from whence the 

 animal has received its name. When detached 

 from the rocks they are kept alive in their cells 

 for four or five days, during which time they oc- 

 casionally protrude their bills as if to breathe. 

 They are of different sizes, though the largest do 

 not exceed an inch in length, and are very white, 

 tender, and excellent eating. 



Of the buccinum and the murex there are like- 

 wiso a great number of species. One of the 

 latter, the loco (murex loco) is highly esteemed. 

 It is very white, and of a delicious taste, but 

 rather tough, and in order to render it tender^ il 



