PHOLAS MUSSEL COCKLE. 81 



from some unaccountable cause, become opaque. 

 Failing in my endeavour to clarify it by means of the 

 syringe, I grew apprehensive that it might do injury 

 to the creature in whose labours I was so greatly inte- 

 rested, and so lifted out the piece of rock in which he 

 resided. In doing so, I raised it so as to command 

 a view of the under side. Great was my surprise 

 then, upon finding the hole bored through ! I now 

 placed the stone in a tumbler of water, at an angle 

 of 45, so that I could take in any change, not only 

 in the base, but also in the upper portion of the 

 animal, at the same glance. 



During more hours than I care to mention, such 

 was my eagerness, did I sit with the glass poised on 

 the thumb and fingers of my left hand, my elbow 

 resting on the arm of the chair, and a small lens in 

 my right hand. Never was I so heedless of the 

 fatigue that one position long maintained invariably 

 induces, or so indifferent to the bad effect of too 

 powerful a strain upon the eyes. 



My Pholas continued to bore the whole period. 

 The next day it was quiet, evidently reposing from 

 its labours, and so it remained for a week. During 

 the next six weeks it became restless, boring slightly 

 every day, although at certain times its foot would 

 suddenly slip through the aperture, to its annoyance 

 and discomfort, I believe. 



For several months past, it has been in the same 

 position that it is at the present moment (March 

 1858) with the lower portion of its shell, and its 

 F 



