PATELLID^, 333 



feeding on the sea-weed within reach of their long tongues ; 

 during the night-time, however, they make short excursions, 

 indicated by the irregular tracks they form in their movements. 

 The}^ possess the power of excavating the surface of the rocks ; 

 but whether by mechanical attrition, aided by the hard crystal- 

 line spicula with which the foot is strengthened, or by the car- 

 bonic acid disengaged in respiration, has not been positively 

 determined ; perhaps both agencies are emplo^^ed, the latter 

 being more effective with limestone rocks, the former when, as 

 sometimes occurs, the roosting place is excavated in timber. 



Patella, Linn. 



Etym. — Patella, a dish. 



Syn. — S'cutellastra, C^^mbula, Olana, H. and A. Adams. Eruca, 

 Tournefort. Patellites, Walch. Patellaria, Llhwyd. Cellana, 

 H. Adams. 



Distr. — 150 sp. World-wide. Fossil, 100 sp. Silurian — . 

 P. ceerulea (Ixxxiv, 49). 



Shell conical, more or less depressed, oval at the base ; apex 

 subcentral or anterior, from which usually radiate ribs, which 

 are frequently nodose ; mostly crenulated on the inner margin. 



Animal. Foot smooth, branchial lamellae subequal all around. 



The Patellae or limpets are not eaten in the United States, but 

 in Europe, especially upon the British Coasts, there is a large 

 consumption of them ; roasted, boiled or made into soup, they 

 are very palatable. They were eaten by piimitive man, and the 

 shells were formed into ornamental necklaces, occurring in the 

 most ancient cromlechs or subterranean burial chambers. They 

 are ver}^ extensively used as bait also ; in Berwick alone, until 

 the supply was exhausted, nearly twelve millions of limpets are 

 said to have been gathered annually for this purpose — a process 

 requiring alertness and skill, for, as Wordsworth says : — 



"And should the strongest arm endeavor 

 The limpet from its rock to sever, 

 'Tis seen its loved support to clasp, 

 With such tenacity of grasp, 

 We wonder that such strength should dwell 

 In such a small and simple shell.' 



" Bouchard-Chantereaux says that he had often seen limpets 

 (Patella vulgata) crawling, especially just after the tide had 

 gone out. The young limpet moves freely about, and shifts its 

 quarters ; but after attaining a growth of probably a few days, 

 it affixes itself to a particular spot, which it only quits when 

 covered by the sea, on the return of each tide. If it settles on 

 a hard and rugged rock, the circumference of the shell is 

 moulded to fit the irregular surface of its abode ; the base of 

 attachment is then bleached. Should the rock be soft, it scoops 



