HEA KT-COUK.LE. Cardium carduma. 

 SPIRAL HEART-COCKLE. Isocardia ear. TUBEBCULATED COCKLE. Cardium tuberculatum. 



In former days, when this species was very rare, a magnificent specimen was presented 

 to the church of St. Sulpice, in Paris, where it may now be seen, the valves being set up as 

 bSnitiers for containing the holy water. This shell dates from the time of Francis I. It is 

 evident that the byssus by which so enormous a shell is moored to the rocks must be of 

 great size and strength, and, indeed, is so strong as to require an axe for its severance. 

 The muscles, too, by which the animal contracts its shell are enormously powerful ; and it 

 has been remarked by Mr. Darwin, that if a man were to put his hand into one of these 

 shells, he would not be able to withdraw it as long as the animal lived. 



ON the left hand of the illustration on the previous page is seen the SPOTTED BEAR'S- 

 PAW CLAM, which has been placed in a separate genus on account of a difference in the 

 number of projections on the hinge, technically called hinge-teeth. The animal has been 

 represented in this peculiar manner for the purpose of displaying the mouth, which ^s 

 marked by the coronet-like circlet around it, and the foot, which is seen below just 

 projecting from its groove. This animal also spins a byssus, which is, however, weak and 

 slight compared with that of the gigantic species just described. 



THE family of the Cockles, or Cardiadse, so called from their heart-like shape, is well 

 represented by the common COCKLE (Cdrdium edule) of our British shores. Generally, 

 the Cockle is a marine animal ; but it sometimes prefers brackish water to the salt waves 

 of the ocean ; and a small variety is found in the Thames nearly as high as Greenwich, 

 when the water is sensibly flavoured with salt at each high tide. Another species, the 

 PRICKLY COCKLE (Cardium aculedtum], is found on the southern coast, and regularly 

 brought to market. 



The Cockle is gathered in great numbers for the purpose of being eaten, although, as 

 tne greater number are consumed in the open air, they can hardly be said to be procured 

 for the table. According to Mr. Maxwell, "a crowd of the more youthful description of 

 the peasantry are collected every spring tide to gather Cockles on the sands by daylight 

 when the tide overruns. The quantities of these shell-fish thus procured would almost exceed 



