PHOLAS MUSSEL COCKLE. 67 



CHAPTEE VI. 



PHOLAS, MUSSEL, COCKLE (Cardium Edule). 



" The mussel, often trimm'd 



With orient pearls within, as thereby Nature show'd 

 That she some secret good had on that shell bestow'd ; 

 The scallop, cordial judged; the dainty whelk and limp, 

 The periwinkle, prawn, the cockle, and the shrimp." 



DRAYTON. 



No Aquarium, in my opinion, can ever be considered 

 complete, that does not possess one or more specimens 

 of the Pholas. For myself, I am so enthusiastic an 

 admirer of this animal, that I regard the privilege of 

 watching his mysterious movements as amply repay- 

 ing all the trouble the most unmanageable Aquarium 

 can ever cost. 



With respect to other marine animals, we may be 

 contented with watching the grace of their motions, 

 the adaptation of slender limbs to various kinds of 

 difficult movements, their elegance of form, or their 

 surprising docility. But the Pholas has, in addition 

 to these qualities, the recommendation that arises 

 from something puzzling and undetermined. Much 



