THE SOFT-SHELLED CLAM. 



41 



grand contrivance! for with the water there comes 

 down a small amount of air also, which had been 

 dissolved by the foamy waves. This air passes 

 over his gills, which are really a series of fine tubes 

 containing the creature's 

 blood, and as it passes, 

 the blood absorbs the rich 

 oxygen of the air, and 

 thus becomes purified. 



But the gills also collect 

 the food-particles which 

 are in the water, and roll 

 them along to one end, 

 where they are gathered 

 together by the four white 

 lips, and pressed into the 

 mouth, that is ever ready 

 to receive them. What a 

 happy creature is the clam ! 

 And yet, I do not think 

 his happiness is of a very 

 high order. Do you? 



The enemies that ever 

 threaten the oyster can never harm the clam. 

 The starfish cannot reach him; the sting-ray can- 

 not bite him; he has no fear of mud, for he lives 

 in it; and as for frost, he is too deeply buried for 

 it to touch him. 



HENRY HEMPHILL, who now 

 lives in San Diego, California, 

 has made remarkable collec- 

 tions of shells. He is a mason 

 by trade, and did not begin 

 to gather shells till he was of 

 adult years, when he picked 

 up a few fora scientific friend. 

 Mr. Hemphill began to get in- 

 terested in the subiect, and at 

 length devoted most of his 

 time to the work of exploring 

 the shores and the mountains 

 for their shells. He spent two 

 winters in Florida, collecting 

 for the government. He has 

 also explored the mountains 

 of Utah and Idaho very exten- 

 sively, searching for snails, 

 of which he has found many 

 species and varieties. 



He is very methodical in his 

 work, and his specimens are 

 beautifully cleaned and pre- 

 pared for the museum. He 

 has probably gathered more 

 shells than any other man 

 now living. 



