THE 
A Monthly Medium for Collectors and Students of Natural History. 
Address of Office : 369, EUSTON ROAD, LONDON, N.W. 
Vol. 1, No. 2. AUGUST, 1892. 
One Penny. 
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SWAN-MUSSEL. 
(Anodonta cygnea.) 
(1 Continued from page 7.) 
ELL spoken,” answered the swan mussel with 
fervour; “ I did not think there was so much 
sense in a Unio. I admire you for it, and it 
would be better if all your race followed your 
excellent example, but still the fact cannot be 
overlooked that a swan mussel is greatly superior both in 
mental calibre and the majesty of portliness to a Unio. Why, 
the greatest men of the time have written books about us, and 
you would scarcely believe that there is not a single part of 
me you can touch but which bears some long scientific name. 
What you are gazing at now” (as the Unio happened to be 
looking at the only part then visible to him—the exterior of 
the shell) “is called the periostracum.” 
“Wonderful!” ejaculated the Unio, oblivious of the like 
quality in himself. In fact he had no idea how close their 
relationship was, nor how similarly constructed were their 
various parts, with the exception of the shell, or he would 
scarcely have tolerated such boasting and insolent talk. He 
had always looked upon the swan mussel as the queen of the 
fresh-water species, and certainly its great size was perhaps 
sufficient to warrant his thus thinking. 
“If you would like to hear my history,” began the swan 
mussel in a tone which implied that the hearer must consider 
himself under great obligations to her, if she did condescend 
to do so, “I-” 
“ Undoubtedly I should, above all things,” interrupted the 
