560 THE PHOLAS TRIBE. 



more thickly set with hairs than the others, and seem 

 to perform the office of hands. 



The trunk or proboscis rises from the middle of 

 the base of the larger claws, and is longer than any 

 of them. This the animal moves with great agility 

 in any direction; it is tubular, transparent, and com- 

 posed of rings lessening gradually to the extremity, 

 where it is surrounded with a circle of small bristles, 

 which are likewise moveable. Along the inside of 

 this transparent proboscis appears the spiral dark- 

 coloured tongue, which is extended and contracted 

 at pleasure. 



The mouth, formed not unlike a contracted purse, 

 is placed in front between the smaller claws, within 

 the folds of which are six or eight horny laminae or 

 erect teeth. Under this lie the stomach, intestines, 

 and tendons, by which the animal adheres to the 

 shell*. 



The Goose Bernacles consist each of five shells. 

 They adhere in clusters to the bottoms of vessels and 

 old timber, by means of tubes that in appearance are 

 like some of the Corallines f . 



THE PHOLAS TRIBE, 



THE Pholas has a shell of two valves, that open 

 widely at each end, with several lesser ones at the 



* Ellis on Bernacles, Phil. Tran. vol. 1. p. 845. 

 t See the account of the Bernacle Goose, in vol, ii. 



