140 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLI.USKS. 



fishermen bring in fine specimens from the "Nymph 

 Bank." Mr. Jeff'reys was informed by Mr. Spenee 

 Bate, that at Plymouth ■ the trawlers call the Pinna 

 " caperlongers," which word is supposed to be a corrup- 

 tion of cappa lunga,— the name they bear in the Medi- 

 terranean; and that the familiarity of Plymouth seamen 

 with such Italian words is accounted for by so many of 

 our men-of-war having been at Naples. They are also 

 known in Italy by the following names: — nacherone, 

 madre-perna, and palostrega. In France they call them 

 jambonneaux ; and in Germany, Steckmuschel. 



The PinruB live in sand and mud, with the small end 

 downwards, in an upright position, and attached by a 

 very strong byssus of silky thread. A small species of 

 crab lives frequently in the shell of the Pinna ; and the 

 following is a quaint description given by Pliny of the 

 friendship of the Pinna and its little guest : — " The 

 pinna is also of the tribe of shellfishes. It is always 

 found in muddy places, but never without a companion, 

 which they call pinnoteres or- pinnophylax, and which is 

 a little shrimp, or in some places a crab, ^ searcher for 

 food. The pinna first gapes open, and, being destitute 

 of sight, exposes its body within to various little fishes, 

 which come leaping by close to it, and being unmolested, 

 grow so bold as to skip into its shell and fill it full. The 

 pinnoteres, waiting for the opportunity, gives notice to 

 the pinna by a gentle pinch ; upon which, shutting its 

 mouth, it kills whatever is within its shell, and divides 

 the spoil with its companion."* 



Mr. Sayt says that a small crab (a species of Pinno- 

 theres) which lives in the shell of the common American 



* Pliny, Nat. Hist. bt. ix. c. 42 (or 66, Tr. Bohn.) 

 + Journ. Acad. Sc. Phil. i. 68. 



