. The popular natural history . Zoology. 5i8 THE SCALLOP. Bennett writes as follows :—" On that part of the body which is lodged in the apex of the shell, there is a small, globular, pellucid b'^dy, resembling a vesicle, and which at night emits a luminous gleam, sufficiently vivid to be visible even when it is opposed to the strong light of a lamp. It is the only example of a luminous shell-fish I have ever met with ; nor would the luminosity of this species be of any avail, did not the shell possess a structure so vitreous and transparent. Examples were chiefly captured at night or in t
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 5i8 THE SCALLOP. Bennett writes as follows :—" On that part of the body which is lodged in the apex of the shell, there is a small, globular, pellucid b'^dy, resembling a vesicle, and which at night emits a luminous gleam, sufficiently vivid to be visible even when it is opposed to the strong light of a lamp. It is the only example of a luminous shell-fish I have ever met with ; nor would the luminosity of this species be of any avail, did not the shell possess a structure so vitreous and transparent. Examples were chiefly captured at night or in the evening. The next great group of molluscs is that which is known by the technical term of Conchifera. In them each valve corresponds with the right or left side. In the first family, of which the common Oyster is a very familiar instance, the two valves are unequal in size, and the animal inhabits the sea. The Oyster is too well known to need description ; but it may be mentioned, that practical naturalists have for some years been carefully studying its habits, for the purpose of breeding the valuable molluscs artificially, and so of securing a constant supply throughout the four months of the year during which the creature is out of condition. In this country the system is being gradually carried out, but in France it is developed to a very large extent, and with great success. The next family are termed wing-shells, or Avicularidse because the apices, or " umbones " as they are called, are flattened and spread on. either. OYSTER.—(Ostrea edulis.) SCALLOP.—(Pecten jacobats.) side something like the wing of a bird. The interior of the valves is pearly and the exterior layer is composed of a kind of mosaic work of five or six sided particles. This structure is easily to be seen by means of a moderately powerful simple lens, merely by holding up a scallop or other shell before the window, so as to allow the light to p iss through it. The common Scallop is foun
Size: 2253px × 1109px
Photo credit: © Central Historic Books / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
