MYTILTD/E. 
373 
^16 Languet had them presented to the church of Saint Sulpice, 
^ ere t]i e.V are used as fonts for holy water. Another pair are 
x ibited in the church of Saint Enlala, at Montpelier, hut much 
‘ Waller in size. The shells of Tridacnas are formed, as represented 
j 6 * * * * 11 ^L. XVII., of three acute angles, festooned on their edges by 
road sides bristling with white scales. The hinges have two teeth ; 
ligament is elongated and external. 
The animal of Tridacnw is remarkable for its fine colours. Tridacna 
Sc tfrana is of a beautiful blue round the edges, rayed through a 
8 ade of very pale blue. More in the interior is a row of small moons 
j° a yellowish green ; the centre is a bright violet, with brownish 
° u gitudinal punctured lines. “ We have at this moment before our 
e y e s, say the travellers Quoy and Gaimard, “ one of the most charming 
s Pectacles that can be seen, when at a little depth beneath the 
Ur face a number of these animals display the brilliant velvety colours 
®nd varying shades of their submarine parterres. As we can only 
Perceive the gaping opening of the valves, we may imagine to our- 
6 Ves what is its first aspect.” The mantle of the .animal is closed 
a " d ample ; its edges are swollen, and reunited in nearly its whole 
Cl rcumference in such a manner as to leave only three very s mall 
openings — two in the upper part ; the one serves the purpose of 
^charging the products of digestion, the other gives entrance and 
eXlt to the water necessary for respiratory purposes. The thud 
gening is in the lower part of the body, and free ; it leaves an opening 
r the passage of the foot, which is enormous, and is surrounded with 
11 a Wple tuft of byssoidal fibres, 
d-ided by this silky tuft. 
th 
animal attaches itself to 
6 rocks, and suspends its 
WeigPj-y s p (s j] f rom them. If 
18 mtendedto remove those 
Stacked to the sides of the 
it is necessary to cut 
e cords of the tendonous 
" S3lls , by which it is held 
8a8 P&nded, with a hatchet. 
. ^ the Tridacna; are inhabitants of Tropical seas. The Tridacna 
Jlr jas i s a lla tt ve 0 f the Indian Ocean. The flesh, though coriaceous 
Fig. 158. Tridacna squamosa (Lamarck). 
