MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 125 



the moss and dead leaves at the foot of the trees; 

 and among their tangled roots . he will bring to 

 light earth-loving Cyclostomes and ear-shaped Land- 

 Volutes. The beds of ancient torrents, decaying 

 rocks, and the debris of mountain slopes, will also 

 yield him curious flattened, dingy Helicidce, and 

 the slug-like forms of Onchidium and Veronicella. 

 If he is near the coast, he will find, on the rocks, 

 the Chitons, with their coats of mail, the curious 

 Cup-and-Saucer Limpets, and the beautiful pearly 

 Ear-shells ; and among the coral reefs the polished 

 Cowry, or the spine-armed Murex; nor will the 

 numerous kind of Wreath and Top-shells be over- 

 looked in his search among the stones along the 

 strand. Here also, perchance, he may discover some 

 of the elegant Volutes, frequently as rare and costly 

 as they are beautiful ; and he may notice the large 

 and powerful animals of the Strombidce, or Wing- 

 Shells, with their telescope-eyes and strong muscular 

 foot, leaping and rolling about in pursuit of prey ; 

 Purple-Shells and Periwinkles will be observed 

 grazing on their sea-weed pastures, in company with 

 gaudy-coloured Nerites ; while on the sand-flats he 

 will see the Naticas and the glossy Olives, partially 

 covered by expansions of their foot, forming bur- 

 rows in the moist soft bed on which they pass their 

 lives ; here also will be seen the large-footed Bullia 

 and the Nassas, with their bifid turned-up tails, 

 describing sinuous tracks as they quickly traverse 

 the surface of the yielding sand ; while in the coral- 

 .masses around him a careful search will enable him 



