PHOLAS. 
553 
lades must therefore have worked their way into 
them while they were buried by the influx of the 
sea, which immediately succeeded the destruction 
of the city by an earthquake. 
There must be something singularly curious in 
the manner which these creatures pursue to effect 
such mighty purposes ; and we have to regret that 
while so much attention is paid to shells, so little 
notice is taken of their inhabitants. Those who 
Jive at a distance from the sea may not possess the 
means of keeping them alive; but the naturalist 
residing on the coast has it in his power, with 
ordinary attention, to watch their motions and ob- 
serve all their curious operations. The subject of 
our present investigation is highly deserving of no- 
tice, as it appears a paradox, that an animal so soft 
as the pholas should dig itself a dwelling in a stone. 
If a number of these were kept in a vessel of salt 
water, and supplied with proper substances to work 
upon, their operations might be observed, and that 
which has hitherto justly excited the astonishment 
of philosophers, would in all probability be ex- 
plained to their satisfaction. 
It has been said that the pholas bores himself a 
dwelling in the rock while very young, and en- 
larges it as he increases in size ; continually work- 
ing his way, though by very slow degrees, till his 
apartment is capacious enough to contain his full- 
grown body. In this dark chamber he spends his 
days, perfectly contented with the nourishment 
