. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Reptiles; Fishes; Mollusks; Natural history; Reptiles; Poissons; Mollusques; Sciences naturelles. THE S'i V1.{CASE WENTLETRAP. 391 mode in wliich the molluscs build up their wonderful homes. It looks, indeed, much as if it wore in the preliminary stage of shell-making, and had completed its arrangements with the exception of pressing the whorls together. When young, the spiral form is tolerably regular, but as it grows in years its regularity decreases, and the shell exhibits the f(n'm represented in the figure which occupies the centre of the eng
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Reptiles; Fishes; Mollusks; Natural history; Reptiles; Poissons; Mollusques; Sciences naturelles. THE S'i V1.{CASE WENTLETRAP. 391 mode in wliich the molluscs build up their wonderful homes. It looks, indeed, much as if it wore in the preliminary stage of shell-making, and had completed its arrangements with the exception of pressing the whorls together. When young, the spiral form is tolerably regular, but as it grows in years its regularity decreases, and the shell exhibits the f(n'm represented in the figure which occupies the centre of the engraving. Tlie aperture of the Worm-shell is round, and the operculum is consequently circular, and fits the opening with tolerable closeness. Its external face is concave. When not opon, the tube is found to be supplied with many partitions of the same material as its walls. The colour of the Worm-shell is greyish TUIlBlTEJjLA. â7'iin'i(c/(« cummiuii^. SNAKK-BUELL.â6'iii(f«d»-iu angiiina. WOKM-SHELL.ârcrmciiw lumbrifdlis. % t-f k%: '"^"^mfm On the extreme right of the engraving may be seen a shell of somewhat similar construction, but readily distinguishable by the longitudinal slit which extends throughout its entire length. About seven species of the Siliquaria are known, all of which are carnivorous in their habits, and are found within sponges. As in the last species, the Snake-shell is regularly spiral at its commencement, where it was constructed by the animal in its youth, but loses its regularity in exact proportion to its age. Its colour is whitish. The small head is shown just protruding, and exhibiting the stopper-shaped operculum. The lower figure in the engraving on page 392 represents the empty shell of the or Precious Wentletbap, in former days one of the scarcest and most costly of the specimens of which a conchologist's cabinet could boast. There was hardly any sum which a wealthy connoisseur or virtuoso, as the fashion w
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Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubj, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectmollusks
