PLATE LXXIX. 



appears to be an und escribed kiod : we bave already stated that this 

 collection was brought from Japan by Dr. Stutzer. 



Patella Japonica has much the appearance of the common 

 European Limpet, Patella Vulgata of Linnasus, but is far inferior 

 in point of size ; it is also flatter and the margin less rotundate, 

 being on the contrary rather lengthened and forming a somewhat 

 incurvated outline by the sinuosity of one side. The margin is 

 slightly angulated and the back rather oblique, the vertex being 

 situated more towards the subemarginate or sinuous side than the 

 other. The outside is moderately smooth and has about twenty rays 

 or ribs. The inside is finely polished, of a chesnut brown colour, 

 and has the margin dotted with white. In conclusion, it may be 

 observed, that the sinuosity or incurvate outline on one side of the 

 margin prevails so uniformly in all the examples of this shell, as to 

 induce a persuasion of its being a characteristic particular of the 

 species. Those shells which are adherent toother bodies are necessarily 

 constrained to accommodate themselves to the peculiar locality to 

 which they are destined to adhere, and hence such a compression on 

 one side in an adherent shell might be attributed to accident, but this 

 is not the case with a Limpet or Patella, the animal of which has the 

 power of moving from place to place without the least restraint, and 

 has therefore no occasion to accommodate the form of its shell to any 

 particular situation. 



