16 



it has been taken in for nourifliment ; but the only certahi 

 method of difcharging it from its chamber, is that of taking 

 it in at the larger end as faft as it is foftened, or the ligneous 

 texture broken by its solvent powers, and difcharged at the 

 fmailer external tube. 



The circumflance mentioned by Mr. Home of the greater 

 tube being contrafted by an inverted action, is not peculiar; 

 feveral marine animals podefs this property ; even fome fpe- 

 cies of marine Limax, as may be feen in that inhabiting Turbo 

 dathnis, who retra61:s its long tubular probofcis in a fimilar 

 way. We do not however recolle6l any teftaceous Afcidia 

 but what has both tubes more or lefs fimbriated at tlie 

 margin, and we find our fpecimens of the Teredo animal to 

 be fo. 



From all thefe circumftances it muft be concluded that 

 the fliells improperly termed boring Jhelh of the Teredo, are 

 no more than what the Pholades, and all other fimilar animals 

 necefiarily poflefs to intitle them to the Linncean appellation 

 of Vermes Tejlacea. 



The habits of the animals of all the fpecies of fhells that 

 are enclofed in wood, or fione, are extremely fimilar to that 

 of the Teredo, and in fome of the Pholas the fliell ivery 

 nearly allied. 



It is remarkable in the fpecimens examined by Mr. Home, 

 none fliould occur with the curicus laminated termination to 

 the cafe or tube in which the animal refides. This gentle- 

 man, 



