166 



THE YOUNG NATURA.LIST. 



having her arms and hands much among 

 lime, she was never troubled with the itch 

 insect. The doctor took the hint, prepared 

 a lotion of lime water, and soon had his 

 patients cured, wilh a more convenient 

 and effectual remedy than the sulphur oint- 

 ment he had been using. — J E.R.) 



{To be continued.) 



COMMON SHELL FISH OF 

 THE BRITISH COASTS. 



By R. Christie, Glasgow. 



Although the word Shell is also applied 

 to the hard covering in which the bodies of 

 the different Crustacea, such as lobsters 

 and crabs, are enveloped, I shall confine 

 the word to its popular meaning ; and in 

 this article I propose giving a short account 

 of some of the most common of our British 

 Shell-fish : considering their form and 

 structure, and also the habits of these soft- 

 bodied animals. 



Formerly, the outward appearance of the 

 shell was all that interested the collector, 

 he determined its place in the system by 

 mere shape and colour — "They were trin- 

 kets on which he looked dotingly, without 

 knowing, and scarcely wishing to know, the 

 organization of the animal whose outer 

 covering only was before him." Now, 

 however, Conchology, the science which 

 treats of the construction, varieties, and 

 clsssification of Shells, is only looked upon 

 as a branch of the greater science of Mala- 

 cology, which also embraces a knowledge 

 of the nature and habits of the molluses 

 which these shells are intended to protect. 

 This department of Zoology has not received 

 the attention of collectors to such a high 

 degree as some of the other branches of 

 Natural History, and, perhaps, the prin- 

 cipal reason for this is because it is generally 

 imagined that the British coasts furnish us 

 with but a scanty supply of Shell-fish, and 

 that even these are of no importance. We 



have, it is true, no specimens of special 

 rarity ; none, perhaps, so beautiful, or so 

 attractive as those found in warmer and 

 more genial climates, yet we have quite 

 enough to form a general introduction to 

 either Conchology or Malacology ; and 

 were the collector to form even a local col- 

 lection, he would be astonished with the 

 result of his search, and certainly it would 

 be far beyond his expectations. 



According to the present mode of classi- 

 fication, shells have been arranged as 

 follows : — 



A Univalve consists of one piece, as a 

 periwinkle. 



A Bivalve is composed of two pieces, of 

 which the oyster affords a good example. 



A Mnltivalve, the Chiton being the only 

 instance we have, is a shell composed of 

 several pieces. 



If we were to wander along the shore, 

 perhaps the first shell that might attract 

 our attention would be the Limpet {Patella 

 vulgata). This is undoubtedly one of the 

 most common coast shells. Like a sentinel, 

 it is stationed on the top of the rock, and 

 though often exposed to the heat of the sun, 

 as well as the tossings of the waves, it is 

 safely lodged in its little cone. Its close 

 adhesion to the rock is caused by atmos- 

 pheric pressure. 



The Whelk is another which is very com- 

 mon, and the empty shell may often be 

 found occupied by the Hermit Crab, a most 

 curious little fellow. There are many 

 species of whelk, but Buccinum undattim 

 and Burpwra lapillus are the most common. 

 From the mollusc, which inhabits the last- 

 named shell, the Rev. J. G. Wood thinks 

 that the famous purple dye was extracted ; 

 and an interesting account of the process 

 may be found in his " Common objects of 

 the sea-shore." 



A great number of little shells are cast 

 ashore by the waves, which, from their 

 conical shape are called Tops {TrocM). 



