38 
EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLIJSKS. 
hooked point, and when stretched to its utmost is nearly 
4 inches in length. It is by means of this organ, that 
the cockle can bury itself in the sands, and also take 
those wonderful leaps of which we read in Mr. Gosse^s 
interesting work, ^ The Aquarium,^ and again in his ^ A 
Year at the Shore,’ where he mentions that a specimen 
w'as seen to throw itself over the gunwale of a boat 
when laid on the bottom boards. Mr. Gosse states, in 
this latter work, that the mode of leaping is performed 
as follows : — “ The long taper foot is thrust to its utmost 
and feels about for some resisting surface, a stone for 
instance, which it no sooner feels than the hooked point 
is pressed stiffly against it, the whole foot, by muscular 
contraction, is made suddenly rigid, and the entire crea- 
ture, — mantle, siphons, foot, shell, and all, — is jerked 
away in an uncouth manner.” 
There is another cockle found also at Paignton, 
which is even more scarce than Cardium rusticum, viz. 
Cardium acideatum ; it is larger and not so solid, with 
long spines on each rib, and is of a pale brownish-pink 
or flesh colour. It is very good to eat. I have had 
splendid specimens sent to me, alive, from Paignton, 
in a jar, with seaweed ; some measuring more than 3 
inches in length and 2^ in breadth, and I have taken 
them myself at Langston Point, near Dawlish. The 
foot of the animal is long, and of a reddish-pink, but not 
nearly so vivid or brilliant in colour as that of Cardium 
rusticum. It is also an inhabitant of the Mediterra- 
nean. 
Paignton method of Cooking the Red nosed Cockle.— 
Cleanse them for a few hours in cold spring water, and 
then fry them in a batter made of bread-crumbs.* 
"Forbef! and Hanley, Brit. Moll. voL ii. p. 15. 
