The Hiftory u/ ANIMALS, 115 
rfhe Shell-jijh, on this plan of arranging them according to their Jhells or coverings, 
not to the different ftrudture of the included animal, may he divided into three feries-, the 
fir ft containing thofe formed of only one piece ; thefe IJhall call the fimple ones ; others have 
called them univalve ones, hut the ftruclure of the Jhell is in many, by no means, refera¬ 
ble to a valve. "The fecond feries containing thofe which are formed of two parts or 
valves, under the name of bivalves ; and the third, under the name of multivalves, com¬ 
prehending thofe whofe Jhells are compofed of feveral valves or parts. 
S H E L L-F I S H. 
Series the Fir ft. 
Simple Shells, 
Thofe which confift only of one fingle Jhell , and have no hinge, 
PATELLA. 
r-y^ H E Patella is a fimple fhell of a conic, or other gibbofe, figure, with a very- 
wide opening at the bottom ; always applying itfelf firmly to fome folid 
body, which ferves it in the place of another fhell: the animal inhabiting it is a 
lirnax. 
The fummit of the patella is in fome acute, in others obtufe ; in fome depreflfed, and 
in fome it is perforated ; and in others turned down, or otherwife crooked. 
Patella vertice acuto , decern coftis inftruBa . SCI )t tM&ttt} 
The Jharp-topped Lepas , with ten Jlrice. fLllllQZt+ 
This is a very beautiful fpecies: the full grown ones are an inch broad at the mouth, 
and three quarters of an inch high ; the bafe is not exadly rounded, but fomewhat 
oblong, and the top fharp or pointed: the colour of the outfide is a dufky brown, 
with a call of olive ; it is elevated in ten places by fo many fmall ridges, placed at nearly 
equal diftances, and is rough all over: the Ariae are moft confpicuous toward the 
mouth, and become fainter, as they approach the top; where they are obliterated, and 
the fharp point, and a little of the fhell below it, is fmooth : the infide of the fhell is 
beautifully variegated with brown, yellow, and whitifh, difpofed in the form of irre¬ 
gular circles, and in the whole fhews a great general refemblance of the auricula flowers. 
It adheres very firmly to the rocks in many parts of the Eafi; Indies, and elfewhere.- 
Patella radiata coftis feptenis y feptem aculeos ad oram 
efformantibus . 
The radiated Patella , with feven ribs , forming feven 
prickles at the rim . 
This is a very elegant and very Angular fpecies: it is but little elevated; it’s mouth 
is of a figure approaching to elliptic, and it’s bafe is about an inch long, and two thirds 
of an inch broad ; it’s fummit is pointed, but the height is hardly half an inch, and 
the point does not rife exactly in the center of the fhell: on the outer furface there are 
feven very elevated ribs, placed at confiderable and nearly equal difiances; they run 
flrong and diflind: to the very point of the fummit, and are continued to the verge, 
where they run out each into a point beyond the refl of the verge, and form fo many 
prickly rays, with hollows in form of fegments of circles between them : the colour 
on the outfide is whitifh, variegated with clouds and fpots of black, efpecially about the 
ribs; within it is beautifully variegated. 
It is found adhering to rocks about the iflands of Sumatra, Borneo, and elfewhere, 
in the Eaft Indies: it has been fent alfo from fome of the American fhores, and fome 
othfcr places. 
TM: ' 
Patella 
