THE SHELL-DWELLERS 



191 



ance, one being flat, the other convex. 

 The animal itself is a remarkable crea- 

 ture, and has a very curious method of 



PECTAN OR SCALLOP SHELL, WITH ACORN 

 BARNACLES ATTACHED. 



locomotion, for when it wishes to travel 

 it smartly opens and closes the valves of 

 its shell, thereby causing a rapid expulsion 

 of water, which drives it backwards. The 

 Scallop is a veritable Argus as regards 

 eyes, possessing somewhere between sixty 

 and seventy. These numerous 

 eyes, moreover, are well-deve- 

 loped organs, and are arranged 

 in a double row, like brilliant, 

 tiny, green beads, upon the 

 edges of the fleshy envelope 

 or "mantle" that encloses the 

 body of the Scallop. 



The Queen Scallop is smaller, 

 and differs considerably in gen- 

 eral appearance from the Com- 

 mon Scallop, both the valves of 

 its shell being convex and more 

 firmly convoluted. A small 

 Scallop, called Pcctan variiis, 

 is well wortii hunting for, on 

 account of the beautiful form 

 and colour of its shell, the latter 

 being very varied, from pure 

 white to a fine red-brown. 



A handsome and interesting slicll- 

 dweller is the Solen. or Razor-sliell. wliicli 

 has gained its popular name from the 



shape of the two valves of its shell, which 

 united along one edge somewhat resemble 

 a razor-case. These valves have a highly 

 ])olished outer surface, marked with beau- 

 tiful gradations of orange, brown, green, 

 and ])urple colours ; while within they 

 are an exquisite pearly-white, through 

 which the outer markings show. The 

 valves are thin, and bent to form a cylinder 

 open at each end. The Solen lives in the 

 sand near low-tide mark, at a varying 

 depth of a few inches to a couple of feet or 

 more, in an upright position, and its 

 presence may be detected by little hollows, 

 somewhat resembling keyholes, in the 

 sand. If we carefully watch one of these 

 openings, and make a gentle movement 

 on the surface of the sand near to it, we 

 shall see a little jet of water thrown out 

 from time to time. The fishermen, who 

 use the Solen for bait, watch for the little 

 jet of water, and at once plunge a barbed 

 iron wire into the sand at the spot from 

 which the jet issued, and generally succeed 

 in impaling the unfortunate mollusc. 



A simple method of obtaining an un- 

 injured specimen for examination is to 

 sprinkle a small quantity of salt upon the 

 holes in the sand. The salt soon pene- 

 trates down the hole, and reaches and 

 irritates the ends of the tubes or 

 syphons of the animal, causing it im- 

 mediately to rise in the sand. The 



THE ORMEK (INNER SURKACK OK SHKLI.) 



moment it appears at the surface tlie 

 Solen must be swiftly seized, for if 

 alarmed it will dart back into its bur- 

 row, and tlu'u no amount of salt or 



