The Common Shells of the Sea-Shore (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873* Excerpt: ...it looks like a Lucina. We will call it the OrphanShell (Lucinopsis wndata). Some persons say that this shell is inelegant in shape, but I cannot agree with them, thinking that its outline is as pleasing and its curves as graceful as those of any other shell in the British seas. The surface is a very pale fawn-colour, fading to white on many parts, and is traversed by many concentric lines, which are nearly as line as those of the (Smooth Artemis, but which are more conspicuous, on account of the ridges which iraverse the shell in the same direction as the lines. It is a fragile shell, and, although it is very plentiful, is seldom found in a perfect condition. Sometimes it may be seen flung upon the shore after a violent storm, and in that case the animal may be taken alive. As may be seen by reference to the illustration, the siphons are slight, and only protrude to a short distance from the shell. At page 48, fig 4, is drawn the inside of the valve, in order to show the peculiar teeth and the muscular impression. If the reader will look at the illustration on page 48, and refer to figs. 3, 4, 5, 0, 8, he will see that the line of the impression is notable for a deep bay, or, in scientific terms, the "pallial impression is deeply sinuated;" but if he will then examine the remaining figures, he will see that the line of the impression 5s simply curved, without any bay. As this fact proves that the animals which form the shells must be of different shapes, it has afforded to conchologists a reason for making them into a separate family, in spite of the resemblance of the shells. Here I may mention, that in illustrations the distinctive marks, such as the scars, impressions, &c., are much more clearly defined than in the actual speci56 THE CYPR...