104 
EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 
were prepared on the coast at Arcachon and Saint- 
Vaast-la-Hogue^ and in 1861, the steward of the ^Arago^ 
steamer brought over about two hundred clams_, and also 
some American oysters^ which were deposited in these 
beds under the superintendence of M. Coste.* In 
1863^ another supply of live clams was brought over; 
but Dr. Paul Fischer stated in 1865^ that though the 
mollusks were perfectly healthy, they did not seem to 
have spawned, as no young specimens could be found. 
This Venus mercenaria is a very thick shell ; covered 
with a dark-brown epidermis, much resembling our Cy- 
prina Islandica, but it is more triangular in form. 
The deep valves of Pecten ma.mmus are used by 
fishermen as lamps for their huts, and, according to 
Fuller, they were also made use of by the pilgrims in 
Palestine, as cups and dishes, but I believe that the real 
pilgrim scallop is Pecten Jacobceus, which is found in the 
Mediterranean, and is smaller, of a very bright colour, 
dark-orange and reddish-brown, more convex, the ribs 
more defined and angular. The scallop was also the 
badge of the pilgrim, and the poet Bowles says : — 
. “ He clad him in his pilgrim weeds, 
With trusty staff in hand 
And scallop shell, and took his way, 
A wanderer through the land.” 
Again, in ^ Marmion,^ we read : — 
“ The summoned Palmer came in place, 
His sable cowl o’erhung his face ; 
In his black mantle was he clad. 
With Peter’s keys in cloth of red 
On his broad shoulders wrought ; 
The ‘ scallop shell’ his cap did deck ; 
* ‘ Utilization of Minute Life,’ by I)r. T. L. Phipson, pp. 176, 177. 
