Page:The common shells of the sea-shore (IA commonshellsofse00wood 0).pdf/27



are still among the boring-shells, and begin with the remarkable creatures that are called by the name of Gastrochæna, because their shell gapes widely at the portion which is technically termed its belly.

At Plate I., figs. 11 and 0, may be seen two drawings of our commonest species, the (Gastrochæna modiolina), which, although it is extremely plentiful in certain localities, is not easy of procural. It generally lives at a depth of from twenty to sixty feet, and must be procured by the dredge or the drag, the former being preferable. The shell without the animal is by no means imposing or attractive. It is brown in colour, and small, rarely exceeding half an inch in length. A side view of the shell is seen at Plate I., fig. 9, and a back view at fig. 3 of the accompanying illustration. This latter figure is given in order to show the widely gaping form of the shell. The shape of the shell is by no