216 Anchoring Molluslcs. 



brought 100 guineas, and Conus glotia-mans half that sum, 

 the parts of the animal which are the subject of this paper 

 could not be studied, as, invariably before they were passed 

 into the cabinet of the shell collector, they were cleaned from 

 the specimen. However, in our times, when the animal is 

 studied, as well as the shell admired, these organs by which 

 the animal anchors itself may without difficulty be examined, 

 and cannot fail to interest the observer. 



The byssus of the mussel, and the pedicle of the lamp- 

 shells, are considered to be of little, if any, importance in their 

 study, and consequently not being much examined, some little 

 things require to be explained, and some misapprehensions 

 cleared away. 



The importance of the cables in both these classes of' 

 mollusca, cannot be over-estimated by the palaeontologist ; for, 

 in his explorations, he often disentombs large numbers of 

 brachiopoda which have lived and died on the spot where he 

 finds them. He is disposed to wonder why such quantities 

 have gathered together, and it is only when he finds them to 

 belong to the class of shells which anchor themselves to the sea- 

 bottom that his amazement ceases. They can by means of 

 their pedicle resist the scattering tendencies of the waves, and 

 not being disturbed, the places where they have taken up their 

 abode becomes densely populated, while spots not very far 

 distant cannot boast a specimen. To the naturalists the know- 

 ledge of the mussel's habits sufficiently explain the colonies of 

 them which occur in places suitable for their development. 



During the geologic ages the lampshells, or Terebratulidce, 

 existed in great numbers, and in many cases the opening by 

 which the pedicle protruded is distinctly visible. Then, as 

 now, they attached themselves to rocks, stones, branches of 

 corals, and every " coigne of vantage," and there hung freely 

 suspended, swaying to and fro with the pulsations of the mighty 

 ocean. In our still and deep lochs they are often brought up 

 in tho dredge, and if the locality is suitable, that is, of a cal- 

 careous silt, or muddy bottom, every small stone, or large 

 shell, will havo these little lampshells clinging to it. These 

 shells are now but meagrely represented, when we considor tho 

 immense multitudes which swarmed in the seas during tho 

 deposition of the carboniferous limestone. There tho sepulchres 

 of countless thousands belonging to many species may be opened 

 in every quarry. 



The mussel, by means of its byssus, is ablo to remain secure 

 on rocky coasts, where otherwise it would bo dashed to pieces 

 by the first rndo storm. The fisherman, who uses them for 

 bait, chooses a calm summer's day to place upon his new mussel 

 farm I he boat-load which he has forced to emigrate to "pastures 



