5 . 
germs are "used as food, and the byssus (fibres by 
which bivalves anchor themselves) of others has been 
used mixed with silk in the making of gloves and other 
articles. It is found in the Bass Straits, and other 
parts round Australia. We have several, specimens from 
the N.W. Coast of Tasmania. 
The Fan Shell (Chlamys asperrimus), as you see by the 
sketch, is very different to the Fan Mussel. It is 
rather thin, and has about twenty five to thirty closely- 
set angular ribs. In adults the primary ribs are flan¬ 
ked by smaller ones on each side. The ears at the dorsal 
end are unequal in length* Its colour varies greatly, 
some are reddish-brown, others red, yellow or purple, and 
occasionally they are faintly spotted. These shells swim 
through the water by flapping their valves. When caught 
alive the shell is sometimes found to have a sponge grow¬ 
ing over it, this protects 
Fcm-Sl^e)^ 
Tkc ©bongwes tors pared 
these shells fo*- necklaces 
bcf burvtinq grass over 
| wood embers fo remove 
the outer coating - 
the shell. Some Fan Shells 
are very brilliant in colour. 
Its range is extended to many 
parts of Australia and Tas¬ 
mania. 
The Choice Seaweed Shell. 
(Cantharidus eximius) is one 
of those beautiful iridescent 
shells used by the Tasmanian 
aborigines to make necklaces. 
It is fawn or rose colour 
v/ith light or dark encircling 
lines, and white, longitudinal, 
linear marks or stripes. 
Inside it is iridescent. The 
surface of the shell is orna¬ 
mented v/ith a variety of lov¬ 
ely markings, and its size is 
about one inch in length. It 
lives on floating seaweed,and 
is common around Tasmania and 
many parts of Australia. 
