MANNER OF FEEDING IN TESTACELLA SCUTULUM. 283 



Cantraine* also pointed out that the lingual mass can be pro- 

 truded, adding that it is covered with rows of long and recurved 

 teeth like a carding-comb. 



George Johnson, f in his ' Conchology,' a work that is some- 

 what overlooked, describes the buccal apparatus as a proboscis, 

 the hold of which on the worm is assisted by bristles which are 

 set upon it. He quotes Sowerby, and is but little in advance of 

 the latter and Cantraine. 



Moquin-Tandon, t in mentioning the subject gives a reference 

 to du Gue's observations, and alludes also to Querhoent. 



In their monograph on the genus, Gassies and Fischer§ give 

 valuable references to the literature of the subject, and a long 

 account moreover of the habits of Testacella. They state that the 

 Testacella moves slowly to the side of the worm, with " so com- 

 plete an indifference that one might suppose it had not observed 

 and disdained it ; " but, they continue, " while the worm is 

 turning to the left and to the right the former draws in its head, 

 retracts its tentacles, suddenly turns, enormously dilating its 

 mouth, and throws itself on its prey, partly swallowing it by 

 suction." The anterior end is expressly mentioned as the one 

 by which the worm is caught, though sometimes, according to 

 these authors, the middle may be the part seized. A figure is 

 given of Testacella maugei in contact with this part of a worm. 

 No very definite idea of a protrusile organ is given, while the 

 animal, which has hitherto been considered sluggish, throws itself 

 upon its prey and enfixes it by a kind of suction, yet never- 

 theless the palate spines are more exactly described as having 

 barbs. 



The well-known English conchologist, the late Dr. Gwyn 

 Jeffreys, || has devoted more space than most writers to discussing 

 the habits of Testacella. He combines most of the previous 

 accounts, adding a few artistic touches of his own, which do not 

 tend to make matters clearer. He says : — " It is scarcely inferior 



* Malacol. Mediter. (1840), p. 97. 



| * Introduction to Conchology' (1850), p. 313. 



I ' Histoire naturelle de Mollusques terrestres et fluviatiles de France ' 

 (1855), vol. ii. p. 38. 



§ "Monographie du genre Testacelle" Actes Linn. Soc. Bordeaux, xxi. 

 p. 218, pi. 2. 



|| * British Conchology' (1862), vol. i. p. 142. 



z 2 



