Part 4

Fig. 5, the Elegant Cyclostome, (Cyclostoma elegans.) On turning to the dictionary, we find that cyclostomous means having a circular mouth. This species is sometimes called Turbo elegans; the beautifully-marked shells are often found in chalk-hills covered with brushwood. This pretty mollusk has a curious mode of travelling; the under surface of the foot, which is long, is divided by a deep fissure, into two narrow strips, like ribbons; these take hold of whatever the creature may be moving on alternately; one keeping fast hold while the other advances, in like manner to fix itself, and drag the body forward. Fig. 6, the Undulated Plekocheilos, (P. undulatus;) the Latin plecto—to twist or twine, seems to be the root from which the generic name of this Snail is derived; the specific name will be easily understood; to undulate, is to flow like waves, and the lines on the shell it will be seen are undulating. This is not a British species, but is introduced here to give variety to the group; it is a West Indian Mollusk, and is found in immense numbers in the forests of St. Vincent; it glues its eggs to the leaves of a plant which holds water, and thus secures for them a damp atmosphere at all times. And here we must conclude our chapter of Land Snails, leaving unnoticed very many beautiful and interesting species, both British and Foreign.

Many poets have alluded to the Snail, but we can only find room for a few verses by Cowper:—

To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall, The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall, As if he grew there, house and all Together.

Within that house secure he hides, When danger imminent betides Of storm, or other harm besides, Of weather.

Give but his horns the slightest touch, His self-collecting power is such, He shrinks into his house with much Displeasure.

Where’er he dwells, he dwells alone, Except himself has chattels none, Well satisfied to be his own Whole treasure.

Thus hermit-like, his life he leads, Nor partner of his banquet needs, And if he meets one only feeds The faster.

Who seeks him must be worse than blind, (He and his house are so combin’d,) If, finding it, he fails to find Its master.

FRESH-WATER SHELLS.

Many of the following group of Fresh-water Shells, are remarkable for elegance of form, and some for richness of colouring; hence, perhaps, the scientific name applied to the family in which they are mostly included—Limnæidæ, which, like limn—to paint, agrees with the French enluminer. These mollusks are found in rivers, streams, ditches, and moist marshy places. Like those which live wholly on land, they breathe through lungs, and therefore cannot exist without air; which accounts for their frequently coming to the surface, when under water. In brooks, as well as in stagnant pools, which abound with aquatic plants, they may be found in vast numbers, feeding upon the moist vegetation.

The Common Limnea, (L. stagnalis,) is mostly an inhabitant of stagnant waters, where it is often seen floating with the shell reversed, as in a boat; this shell, like most of those of the Fresh-water Mollusks, is thin, and easily broken; the shape it will be seen, is peculiarly elegant, the spire being slender and pointed—very different from that of the Spreading Limnea, called by naturalists, L. auricularia, from aurus—the ear, to which the broad aperture, or opening of the shell, may be compared; this resembles the other species in its habits. The Horny Planorbis, in Latin P. corneus, from cornu—a horn. The shape, you will see, is flat, the whorls rolling upon each other like the folds of a bugle horn; this shape would be termed orbicular, from orbis—a sphere, or circular body. This is the largest European species of Fresh-water Shells so constructed; it is often found in deep clear ditches, and yields a beautiful purple dye, which, however, soon becomes dull, and changes; it cannot be fixed, and is therefore valueless. The mouth of this shell in fine specimens, is tinged with pale violet or lilac.

There is another kind, the Keeled Planorbis, (P. lurinatus,) which has the outer edge of the shell finely ridged, or keeled; it is very small, and very plentiful in fresh-water, both running and stagnant; where, too, is found the Common Physa, (P. fontinalis,) the latter word meaning a spring or fountain. This little mollusk is a quick and active traveller, it sometimes comes out of its shell, and throws itself about in an extraordinary way, keeping fast hold by its foot; the generic name, Physa, would seem to have reference to the round, smooth, delicate shell, and to come from the same root as Physalite, which means a topaz: the members of this genus are very numerous, being found nearly all over the globe. The next belongs to the family Auriculadæ, or Ear Shells. The Midas’ Ear, (A. Midæ;) this handsome shell is prized by collectors; it comes from the East Indies. Midas, it is said, was one who set himself up for a judge of music in the old fabulous times, and not appreciating that of Apollo, was rewarded by the angry god with a pair of ass’s ears.

The Cone-shaped Melampus, (M. corniformis,) also an Ear Shell, is found in the rivers of the Antilles Islands. It is a pretty shell; the formation is much the same as that of many of the most highly-prized varieties of Marine Shells; of these we shall have to speak presently. Melampodium in Latin, signifies a poisonous plant called Black Helebore; in the Mythology, Melampus was a great magician, who did all sorts of wonderful things; but we cannot tell what relation there exists between either the plant or the magician and this pretty cone shell. To give variety to this group, we will now throw in a land species called Megaspira Ruschenbergiana, about the origin of whose name we cannot even hazard a guess; the termination of the generic name, you will see is spira, and a glance at the shell will at once suggest a reason for this; its long tapering spire consists of twenty-three closely-set gradually increasing whorls. This is a rare shell, whose inhabitant has not yet been described by naturalists; several of the marine species closely resemble it in shape. Much more might be said about the Land and Fresh-water Shells, but we must here leave them, having a wide field before us, namely, the Sea or Marine Testacea, one of the most common of which is

THE WHELK,

A univalve shell inhabited by a gasteropod mollusk, or, we should rather say, naturally so tenanted, for very frequently it is taken possession of by the Soldier or Hermit Crab, which having no hard covering to protect their soft plump bodies, are obliged to take lodgings where they can get them, and generally prefer the Whelk shell, of which we here give a figure.

This is one of the commonest of our Marine Mollusks; it is called by naturalists Buccinum undatum; the first, or generic term, being the Latin for a trumpet, and the second, or specific name, meaning waved, or, as we often say, undulated. So we call this the Waved Whelk; fishermen term it the Conch, or the Buckie, and tell strange stories of its ravenous appetite and murderous propensities; how, with its spiny tongue, situated at the end of a long flexible proboscis or trunk, it drills a hole in the shell of the Oyster, or other testacean, and sucks out the contents; empty shells, so drilled, are frequently found on the shore, and often, when the dredge is let down into an oyster bed, it comes up time after time filled with Whelks, of which such numbers are sometimes taken, that they are sold to the farmers to be used as manure for the soil. This mollusk is a favourite article of food with the poorer classes of our land, but it is hard and indigestible. The shell may frequently be found in large numbers among the beach stones; it is strong and firm, from three to four inches long, of a dirty yellowish white. There are two other Whelks common upon our coasts—the Stone or Dog Whelk, (B. lapillus,) from the Latin lapis—a stone, and B. reticulatum, so called because the shell is reticulated, or marked with many lines crossing each other, like net-work; it comes from the Latin reticulum—a net; hence also we have reticule—a small work bag, at one time very much carried by ladies.

ROCK SHELLS,

Are so called on account of their rough and wrinkled forms; they are nearly allied to the Whelks, to which they bear a close resemblance. Several species are found on our shores, the most common being the Humble Murex, (M. despectus,) from the Latin despecto—to despise; this is often used by the fishermen for bait. Some of the foreign Rock Shells are very curious and beautiful; three of them will be found on Plate II.—Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The Common Thorny Woodcock, (M. tribulus,) from the French for trouble, whence we have also tribulation, which is sometimes said to be a thorny path. This curious shell is also called Venus’ Comb. It is found in the Indian Ocean, from whence it is also brought. Fig. 2, the Woodcock’s Head, (M. haustellum,) from the Latin haustus—a draught; the bill of the Woodcock being adapted for sucking. This term is also applied to insects that live by suction. The shell, it will be seen, is destitute of spines, but it is ribbed and beautifully marked. Fig. 3 is worthy of its name—the Royal Murex, (M. regius,) from regno—to reign. It is a splendid species, of the rich colouring of which, art can give but a faint impression. It is brought from the western coast of Central and South America, where, as well as in the islands of the South Pacific, many new shells of the genus Murex have been discovered.

One shell found on our own coast, often mistaken for a Whelk, is the Pelican’s-foot Strombus, called in scientific language, Strombus pes-pelicanus, which is but a Latinized form of the English name. This shell varies greatly in shape in different stages of its growth, and by an inexperienced conchologist, the young, middle-aged, and old Strombus, might be taken for distinct species. In the Strombidæ family, so called we know not why, the same word in Latin meaning a kind of shell-fish, are some species which have produced pearls. One member of the family which we sometimes see in collections, is a large and very beautiful shell; this is the Broad-winged Strombus, (S. latissimus,) probably from latesco—to wax or grow broad, or large; issimus being in the superlative degree, would indicate that this shell was very much so, as we find it is, sometimes measuring as much as twelve inches across. In Plate II, is a representation of this handsome shell, greatly reduced in size, of course: see Fig. 4. We here give a figure, as more curious than beautiful, of the Scorpion Pteroceras, (P. scorpius,) which also belongs to the Strombidæ family; as does the curious Chinese Spindle, (Rostellaria rectirostris.) The generic name of the first of these species, comes from the Greek Ptero, pronounced tero, meaning a wing, and cerus—waxen. Both the generic and specific names of the second refer to the peculiar conformation of the shell, being derived from the Latin, and meaning a straight line or beak.

On Plate III, will be found the Imbricated Purpurea, (P. imbricata,) Fig. 1, which claims a close alliance with the Whelks. The generic name has reference to the dye yielded by this, as well as all the shells of the genus; the specific name comes from the Latin imbrex—the gutter-tile; thus imbricated, a term often used in Natural History, means ridged, like the roof of a house, where the tiles are placed to overlap each other, so that the rain will run off. The Persian Purpura, or, as it is called in Latin, Purpura Persica, Fig. 2, is another handsome shell of this family group; its name indicates the place where it is found. The other species described comes from South America, and the P. lapillus, (the meaning of the specific name has already been explained,) is common on our shores, being found in great abundance on the rocks at low waiter. We read in scripture, of Tyrian purple, and there is every reason to suppose that the rich colour was obtained from these and other shell-fish.

PERIWINKLE.

This is the commonest representative which we have of the family Turbinidæ, which comprehends, according to Cuvier, all the species which have the shell completely and regularly turbinated, that is, if we translate the Latin word into English, twisted. The little Periwinkle, (here he is,) is by no means a handsome mollusk, but some of his relatives are very beautiful as we shall presently show. He is called by naturalists T. littoreus, from littoralis—belonging to the shore, and often eaten by boys and girls with great relish; but he is not very digestible, and sometimes occasions dangerous disorders. The Swedish peasants believe that when the Periwinkle crawls high upon the rocks, a storm is brewing from the south; but Linnæus quotes a Norwegian author to shew that according to popular belief, it foretells the approach of a land wind with a calm on shore. Man may learn much of elemental changes from an observation of the movements and habits of all living creatures, which are instructed by God to provide for their safety and wants, and often perceive, long before man himself does, the indications of calm and tempest, rain and drought, etc. But our little Turbo, what of him? will you boil him, and pick out his curled-up form with a pin? or let him go crawling about the rocks, feeding upon the delicate earlier growth of marine vegetation? In the former case, you will have to reject the little kind of horny scale attached to his foot, which forms, when he retires into his habitation, a closely-fitting door to make all snug.

Several species of this genus are found on our shores; one of those is the Turbo rudis, or Red Turbo, which has a very thick periwinkle-like shell, about three-quarters of an inch long; the colour is dull red, fawn, or drab.

Of the foreign Turbinæ, sometimes called Turban Shells, we will now introduce two or three species, which will be found on Plate III. Fig. 3 is the Marbled Turbo, (T. marmoratus,) from the Latin marmor—marble; a large handsome shell well known to conchologists, and a native of the Indian seas. Fig. 4 is the Twisted Turbo, (T. torquatus;) this shell, when deprived of its outer coat or layer, is beautifully nacreous, or if we may so speak, mother-of-pearly. The specimens which have reached England were brought from King George’s Sound. Fig. 5 is called Cook’s Turbo, (T. Cookii:) this is a handsome South Sea shell, oftentimes of large size. It has been found in great numbers on the coast of New Zealand.

On Plate IV, we have placed two very curiously formed and marked shells, called Wentletraps, also belonging to the family Turbinidæ. The scientific name is Scalaria, from the Latin scala—a ladder, which the ribbed shells are supposed to resemble. Of this genus there are about eighty distinct species known; they are mostly deep-sea shells found in warm latitudes, although several inhabit the European seas, and one, the Common False Wentletrap, (S. communis,) Fig. 1, may often be picked up on our own shores. Fig. 2, the Royal Staircase Wentletrap, is a rare and valuable shell, generally brought from India and China; the scientific name is S. pretiosa, given to it by the French Naturalist Lamarck, on account of the high price which it fetched, pretiose, in Latin, meaning costly, valuable. As much as £100 have been given for a single specimen of this shell; and a fine one, especially if it exceed two inches in length, yet commands a considerable sum, although not nearly so much as that. A good deal like the False Wentletrap in general outline, is the Awl-shaped Turritella, found in the African and Indian Seas. This is the T. terebra of naturalists; the first name referring to the turret shape common to the genus, and the last being the Latin word for an auger, or piercer. The Roseate Turritella, (T. rosea,) is also sometimes seen in collections; the beautiful rosy tint of the live shell changes to a dull red or brown, on the death of the mollusk.

TROCHUS, OR TOP-SHELL.

“Of the shelled Mollusca which the dredge ever and anon brings up,” says Mr. Gosse, in his delightful volume on the Aquarium, or Aqua-vivarium, as the glass tank in which living marine animals and vegetables are kept, is called, from the Latin aqua—water, and vivo—to live, “the Trochi are among the most conspicuous for beauty. The chief glory of this genus is the richly-painted internal surface of their shells, in which they are not excelled by any even of the true margaritiferous or pearly bivalves.”

Of this Trochidæ family, a few of the members must be introduced to our readers; it is rather a numerous one, consisting of more than one hundred species, which are scattered nearly all over the world, few seas being without some of them. They are found at various depths, from near the surface to forty-five fathoms down, creeping on rocks, sand, masses of sea-weed, etc. We will first speak of those found on our own shores, the two commonest, as well as the smallest of which, are the Grey and the Spotted Trochi, scientifically named T. cinerarius and T. maculata, the translation of the first Latin specific name being ashy or ash-coloured, and that of the second, spotted. Trochus, in the same language signifies a top, and has reference to the shape of most of these shells, which are something like a boy’s whip-top.