The Chitons. Coat-of-Mail Shells 



growth ceased, and was resumed later. The interior of these 

 shells is white. 



Habitat.^— Galapagos Islands. 



C. squamosus, Linn., often three inches long, is a showy 

 species from the West Indies. The ground colour is buft 

 with olive tinge; the median areas of the valves are longitudinally 

 banded with black. The lateral areas bear radiating lines of very 

 small beads, running outward from the umbo. There is a dark 

 blotch on each side of the keel. The girdle is scaly like snake's 

 skin and banded alternately with dark and light olive green. The 

 interior of the shell is dark blue green. 



Three little chitons under an inch in length are found on 

 rocks between tide marks on our Atlantic coasts. They are 

 C. ruber, reddish in colouring, C. alba, with whitish shell, and 

 C. apiculatus, with bristly points on shell and girdle. The first 

 two species named are also found on rocks and seaweeds on the 

 coasts of England. Iceland, too, has its chitons. 



The Iceland fishermen believe that if these "sea-bugs," as they 

 call them, are swallowed raw they will prevent sea-sickness and also 

 quench thirst. It is probable that the cure would prove worse 

 than the disease for most people who cross the ocean. — Baker. 



The Mossy Chiton (Mopalia mucosa, Gld.) has two oblique 

 slits, one on either side of the median one, in the posterior valve. 

 The girdle is narrow and densely covered with short curling hair. 

 The plates are brown and sculptured with lines of intersecting 

 riblets on the lateral areas. Sometimes the colour is bright 

 orange, scarlet or green. Occasionallyit is gray. Length, 2 inches. 



Habitat. — Pacific coast to San Diego, Cal. 



Katherina tunicata, Sby., represents a closely related genus. 



The Giant Chiton (Cryptochiion stelleri, Midd.) has its valves 

 completely covered by the leathery girdle. It lives along our 

 west coast, just below the low water mark, a striking object 

 with its brown surface thickly studded with bright red spines. 

 It varies considerably in colour. It is from six to eight inches 

 long, oval in form, with rounded back, flat or concave under- 

 neath with a strong pedal surface attaching it to rocks. The buried 

 valves are pale and hard, without the usual porous layer. They 

 are the beautiful pink "butterfly shells" people pick up on shore. 

 The Indians and Aleuts eat the fleshy parts of this mollusk raw. 



Habitat. — Japan to Santa Barbara Islands, California. 



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