26 THE SEA-SHORE 



half-a-dozen different kinds of these sea snails 

 instead of only one. 



These creatures have tooth-ribbons set with 

 hundreds of tiny hooked teeth, just like those 

 of the dog whelks, and they use them in feed- 

 ing upon the leaves of sea-weeds in just the 

 same way. 



PLATE X 

 THE WENTLETRAP (2) 



The Wentletrap is one of the most beautiful 

 of all the shells which are to be found upon 

 the shore. Indeed, I really think that it is 

 quite the most beautiful. For the high ridges 

 which stand out so boldly run round and round 

 it in the most graceful curves, and the whole 

 shell looks just as if it had been carved out of 

 ivory. 



The wentletrap is sometimes known as the 

 "staircase shell," because the ridges which run 

 round it are very much like those spiral stair- 

 cases by which one climbs to the tops of 

 church towers and other lofty buildings. If you 

 want to find it, the best place to look is in the 

 ridges of small pebbles which are washed up 

 here and there on sandy coasts by the waves, 

 and which are generally mixed up with broken 

 coal which has been thrown out from passing 



