On the Economical Uses of some species of Testacea. 249 



rial bearings.* It was, however, properly speaking, peculiar to the 

 Compostella pilgrimage. Popes Alexander III, Gregory IX, and 

 Clement V, granted in their bulls a faculty to the archbishop of Com- 

 postella, that they might excommunicate those who sold these shells 

 to pilgrims any where except in the city of Santiago ; and the reason 

 assigned is, that the scallop shell is the badge of the apostle of Santi- 

 ago or St. James.f They were occasionally carved as cameos. The 

 shell lies in large beds, in moderately deep water, and is procured 

 by dredging. In common with the other species, they are locomo- 

 tive, and have the power of springing or leaping, by which they 

 move themselves. They effect this by suddenly forcing the under 

 valve against whatever they lie on, and so raise themselves a few 

 inches at a time. The only value which the shell has now, is for 

 its occasional, but well known use as a substitute for a dish.f 



XIV. Pecten opercularis. (Penn.) — Small Scallop. 



This shell, though smaller and less common than the former, is 

 occasionally used as food on the southern coasts of England. Its 

 habits are the same as the last, and the shell is not put to any use.§ 



XV. Pecten concentrtcum, American Scallop, 



Is found along the whole coast of the United States, from Maine 

 to Florida. It does not appear to be very generally used as food, 

 but is occasionally to be met with in the New York markets and oys- 

 ter cellars for that purpose. 



Of this genus many more species are most probably used as food 

 in different countries, as when large enough they are always easily 

 obtained, wholesome and palatable. 



* " The scallop shows in a eoat of arms, 

 That of the bearer's line, 

 Some one in former days hath been 



To Santiago's shrine." — Southey's Pilgrim. Introd. 

 t Southey's Pilgrim, to Compostella, Notes, pp. 208 — 217, where various tradi- 

 tions of the origin are given. 



t Donovan's Br. Shells, pi. 49. Holinshed's Chron. Vol. ii. p. 378, and James' 

 Medical Dictionary, Vol. iv. Art. Pecten. 



§ Murray's Encyclopasdia of Geography, Art. England. Transactions of the 

 Linnean Society of London, Vol. viii. p. 99. 



Vol. XXXIL— No. 2. 32 



