THE CONCHOLOGTCAL MAGAZINE. 



them found in Tokyo Bay, I found two specimens which had Mini 

 attached around the edge of their inhaling holes in bunches. 

 Perhaps the above mentioned ancient scholar might have been 

 mistaken in these respects, which are merely the demonstrations 

 of the principle of commensalism. However, the shells can pro- 

 tect themelves safely from an outside enemy by shutting its in- 

 haling mouth. As for the sea grass Mini, it is its nature to attach 

 itself to any creatures that can move at will, for by thus do- 

 ing, it can be protected from being dried at ebb-tide. The inhal- 

 ing tube is generally known to be eaten, after taking off its black 

 surface. They are usually put in ' Suimono' , something like soup 

 and considered as a delicacy. Though they are widely found, 

 they are chiefly found in our eastern seas. 



Arca ixflata Reeve. — Akagai. 



Why is this species called 'Akagai' — red shell? I think, 

 though I am not very sure, it is because the creature has long 

 pointed legs tipped at the end with red, and with both body 

 and gills of purple red. They are common in our adjoining seas, 

 but especially so in the eastern seas, and considered as a delicacy 

 when boiled with sugar and soy or pickled. 



Akca subcrenata Lischke. — Sarubo. 



This is very much like the former species in its structure of 

 both shells and body and seems, at first sight, to be a young 

 shell of the previous one. According to the ' Illustrations of 

 Principal Marine Products of Japan', this species lives among sea- 

 weed called Afimo, this fact giving it another name Mogai, — Sea- 

 weed shell. It is said that the interior Sea of Izumo and Hoki 

 provinces and in the Kojima Bay of Okayama prefecture, young 

 creatures of this kind are planted for the purpose of breeding. 

 The taste is far inferior to that of the Akagai. 



Arca granosa Lischke. — Haigai. 



This species which is very much like Sarubd, is found in great 

 abundance in the Kojima Bay, Okayama and we hear they have 



