CONCHOLOGY 



this shell thus laden and encumbered is most extraordinary. With 

 the first commencement of the labours of this animal in enlarging the 

 capacity of its shell, it attaches to its external surface a variety of 

 other shells, pebbles, corals, and similar extraneous bodies, generally 

 such as have a convex surface, and which being impressed and 

 partially imbedded in the soft substance of its shell, leave a deep 

 concave impression in the surface when rubbed or broken off. 

 Occasionally these impressions or cavities are numerous, and contri- 

 bute much to deform the appearance of the shell. Those additional 

 coatings, the remains of other bodies, can scarcely be considered 

 ornamental, for they consist not of shells in a living state, or in a 

 vigorous condition of colours and perfection : they are almost inva- 

 riably the worn and tattered remnants, or broken valves of other 

 testaceous bodies, without a sliell of any brilhancy in the whole aggre- 

 gation. It is in allusion to this circumstance that it has obtained 

 among the French writers the significant appellation of La Frippier, 

 or Fripier, and la toupie Jrippiere,^ The disposition of these spoils 

 of other bodies upon the shell of this Trochus is as capricious as the 

 choice of them seems accidental, for these are sometimes sparingly 

 applied, and at others more profusely : the mass which we have 

 represented in the annexed plate will convey an adequate idea of an 

 example of this shell very heavily laden, one in which the shell itself, 

 although it has to sustain and move beneath its burden, is far from 

 being very conspicuous in the mass ; the adhesions in the aggregate 

 much exceeding it in magnitude. It will be observed that it is only 

 upon the superior surface and along the basal margin of the shell 

 that those adventitious remains are attached, the base being unen- 



* Also la Ma^onne, la Conchyliologie — in German die Trodleririy Coiu 

 chylien strceger — among the Hollanders draagende tol. ^c. 



VOL. II. E 



