. Ocean wonders: a companion for the seaside. rance sufficiently large to contain halfof its body, it commences the secretion of its shell, first ex-uding a mucous fluid which soon hardens to the necessaryconsistency. In about three days the process is conrpleted. In this shelly covering holes are left through which thetubes or siphons may be projected, and which are lengthenedor contracted at will. The horing apparatus, in the case ofthe teredo, is believed to be the stout cutaneous folds whichenvelop the anterior portion of the animal, which are cov-ered with a thick, leathery epidermis, and
. Ocean wonders: a companion for the seaside. rance sufficiently large to contain halfof its body, it commences the secretion of its shell, first ex-uding a mucous fluid which soon hardens to the necessaryconsistency. In about three days the process is conrpleted. In this shelly covering holes are left through which thetubes or siphons may be projected, and which are lengthenedor contracted at will. The horing apparatus, in the case ofthe teredo, is believed to be the stout cutaneous folds whichenvelop the anterior portion of the animal, which are cov-ered with a thick, leathery epidermis, and moved by four 90 THE OCEAN. strong muscles. It cannot be the shell, for that is not formedtill the work is nearly done. Some naturalists assert thatthe young teredo feeds upon its own chips, that is, upon theraspings of the wood while it is making the , however, needsconfirmation. Dr. von Baumhauersays : The teredo doesnot always remain inpeaceable enjoyment ofthe home he has con-structed, and the nour-ishment the water. This cut was made from a piece of pine-slab, partially creosoted and exposed one season (1S77)in the Gulf of Mexico. Only the dark-colored portion on the right side of the block wascreosoted for this experiment. The rest of the block, untreated, was entirely riddled bythe Teredo navalis, up to the edge of the creosoted portion, but that the destructive ma-rine worm carefully avoided. brings to him. He finds himself exposed to the attacks of anenemy, of an annelid to which the late M. W. de Haan hasgiven the name of Lycoris fucata. In our day, as well as at M0LLUSK3: THE BORING PHOLAS, TEREDO, ETC. 91 former epochs, this annelid is constantly found wherever theteredo exists. His eggs and embryos are met with in the midstof those of that mollusk. Kater has remarked that the adult annelid, leaving themuddy bottom, where he has hibernated, and in which thepiles are driven, climbs along the surface of the wood towardthe opening made by the tere
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