BOOK IX.] History of Nature. 149 



small Spines. They have all of them five Eggs, which are 

 bitter. Their Mouths stand in the Middle of their Bodies, 

 directed towards the Earth. It is said that they foretell the 

 raging of the Sea : for they labour to gather Stones, by the 

 Weight of which to fix themselves from being rolled over: 

 for they dread to have their Spines worn off by being 

 tossed about ; and when the Sailors have seen this, they 

 immediately moor their Ships with many Anchors. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

 Of Cochlea. 1 



IN the same Rank are the Cochleae, both of the Land 

 and Water ; which stretch themselves out of their Habi- 

 tation, and extend or withdraw two Horns. They have no 

 Eyes ; and therefore they feel the Way before them with 

 the little Horns. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 



Of the Pecten* the Murex, and other Kinds of Shell-fishes 

 (Conches}. 



THE Pectens in the Sea are considered of the same 

 Race. They also lie hid in the Times of great Heats, and 

 also in great Cold. They have Nails, which shine as if with 

 Fire in the Dark: even in the Mouth of those that are 

 eating, them. Murices have a stronger Shell; as also the 

 Kinds of Conches, in which is a great Variety of Nature's 



1 Turbinated shells, as snails and periwinkles. It is strange that 

 Pliny should deny them eyes, when these organs are so plainly situated 

 at the ends of the peduncles on the land species, and at their base in those 

 of the sea. Wern. Club. 



2 Pecten : then as now the genus of Scallops, but not precisely limited 

 to the modern sorts. Conchas are supposed to be the beautiful family of 

 Cowries, Cypraea?, and Olivse. It is not improbable, also, that other shells, 

 having no other natural connexion with these than beauty of form or 

 colouring, were comprised in the same name ; and the habits ascribed to 

 the Veneriae are much like those of a turbinated shell, the Janthina 

 fragilis : although it may be a Cowry, the Concha venerea of the old 

 naturalists. Wern. Club. 



