60 



POPULAR CONCHOLOGY. 



tacked by the Teredo, and, on examination, 

 were found to be pierced in all directions to 

 such an extent, that, had it not been for a 

 timely discovery of the mischief, the whole of 

 that part of the country might have been over- 

 whelmed by the sea breaking through the en- 

 feebled and worm-eaten defences.* 



Found in the European and Indian seas. 



Family 2. — Pholadidce.f 



In this family there is no shelly tube like 

 that which characterises the Tubicolidce, and 

 the animal is contained entirely within the two 

 valves. The distinguishing mark is that the 

 latter gape widely, and have small shelly 

 pieces to unite the hinge, instead of a ligament. 

 From this cause the two valves are scarcely 

 ever found together, except when the shell is 

 taken with the animal alive, as, after the death 

 of the mollusc, the body is soon washed out of 

 the open shell, and the valves having nothing 



* Sir Everard Home mentions a species called T. gi- 

 gantea, which sometimes exceeds four feet in length and 

 several inches in circumference. 



•J- Les Pholadaires, Lamarck. 



