182 ANECDOTE OF THE MUSSEL. 



Mussel lifted up its testaceous canopy, put aside the 

 fringed and fleshy veil that surrounded its edge, 

 protruded its spinner to make sure the ground was 

 secure, and then withdrew it again into the shell as 

 usual. After the lapse of a second, the foot re- 

 appeared and was stretched out to an unusual length. 

 No sooner was the end of the thread formed on the 

 glass than immediately I firmly pressed the valves 

 together, and held them in this position until I had 

 gradually worked the Mussel up out of the vase, 

 when I bound them close together by means of a 

 piece of cord. I need not describe my manoeuvres 

 further; suffice it to say that the thread nearest to 

 the base of the grove was found to be the one that 

 was spun last. This, in my opinion, is invariably 

 the case. 



I may mention that the above experiment also 

 proved to my mind that the foot must be a most 

 important vital organ of the Mytilus. At times, on 

 placing an open Mussel in my tank as food for crabs 

 or other animals, I have noted that if every other 

 part were eaten, and the foot allowed to remain 

 attached to the muscles of the bivalve, that member 

 would after a lapse of several days show signs of I 

 do not say life but sensation and retractile power. 



But when the foot is cut and otherwise injured, 

 the animal dies quickly. In the experiment men- 

 tioned the valves were not kept closed for more than 

 half an hour ; yet when they were opened, vitality 



