The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-08-28 00:00:00

MECHANICS' INSTITUTION.

LECTURES ON THE STRUCTURE AND HISTORY OP TIL
ARTICULATED MOLLUSCOUSCLASSESOF ANIMALS.

On Wednesday evening Dr. Grant delivered his seven
lecture.

The shells of the gasteropods are commonly met with in
the form of a cone. The limpet is one of the most simple
specimens of this order. But we observe these cones become
very much lengthened in some of the genus, especially in
those Is Inch we call stentalia ; indeed, so much so as to re-
semble the red blooded worm rather than the gasteropod.
Of these cones there is an endless diversity. They generally
consist of spiral convolutions, closed at the apex and open at
the base. By this means the animals within have the means
of additional growth, without any necessity for casting off
their shells. Their shells are composed of carbonate and
phosphate of lime, agglutinated together with an albuminous
matter. A great change takes place in the form of many
of these shells during the lifetime of the animal, so that a
person not conversant with the subject would be apt to con-
sider the young and the adult shells to belong to different
species of animals. The animal is attached to the shell in-
ternally, but to the exterior of its body there is a thin cover-
ing of carbonate of lime, called the operculum, which closes
up the entrance of the shell so as to protect the animal from
danger and enable it to retain a sufficient quantity of water
within the shell to supply its wants during the recession of
the tide. When the ammal is alarmed it draws its opercu-
lulu more within its shell, and thus forces out the water
which it was providing for such an important purpose. The
limpet has no operculum, as it fixes itself to the surface of the
rock, and the rock thus becomes its operculum. In the spiral
shell the body of the animal is fixed to the internal
column around which the spiral exterior forms itself.
There are a number of plants which are enabled to float upon
the surface of the water by means of the gases which they
secrete in their air sacs. These plants are the food of numer-
ous gasteropods which attach themselves to them. In this
manner, without being able to swim, many creatures belong-
ing to this tribe are enabled to remain on the surface of the
ocean. Many of them, however, are attached to plants at the
bottom of the sea, or rise to the surface by their own buoy-
ancy. Several of the species feed upon animal matters, and
others upon vegetable. The common garden snail belongs
to this order of animals.

The pteropods swim through the water by means of fins.
They in common with the gasteropods are perfectly organ-
ized for their condition in the water, whether destined to prey
upon animal or vegetable matters. Several of them seem to
he like the peleniites. On a beautiful still sunny evening,
the whole surface'of the- ocean swarms with myriads of them.'
It is then that the contemplative naturalist can behold the
living habits of these animals, and conceive the uses of those
organs which they present upon their exteriors. Such is the
condition of the pteropods, which we seldom see unless in
this tranquil state of ,the ocean. Some of them abound in
such amazing abundance as to change the colour of the ocean,
others of them serve as food for whales. Both the gasteropods
and the pteropods assist in throwing down those layers of
calcareous matters which will form important strata in our
globe at a future period. We find their remains in the sto-
machs of numerous fishes, which show that predacious fishes,
make great havoc amongst this class of animals. Indeed, the
acalepha, and other floating animals, depend upon them for
food.

31ntcliigcncr.

FRI DAY, AUGUST 24.—Wind W.N. W. Fair,

- - - - ---•
ArtarvEn.—Havannah Packet, Dawson, from Bonny at this port,
sailed 23d June. The Mary sailed on the Bth, for this port. The
Laurel, Cooper, from this port, got on shore at the entrance of
New Calabar, received considerable damage, and was run into
Bonny in a very leaky state, and stranded in Bonny Creek, where
she was discharging. On the Illth August, in lat 47 32, long 17,
spoke the Edward, of Plymouth.—Syria, Currie, from Bombay at
this port, sailed Ist May. On the 20th July, in Ist 4 13 N, long
21 40 %%, spoke the Lady Stormont, hence for Rio Janeiro, with
loss of topmast, and getting another up, and John Lawson, from
Halifax for Pernambuco—Adam Lodge, Main, from Onega—Hebe,
Landstrom, from Borgo—New Harriet, Urquhart, from Riga—Ger-
mania, Frettin, from Stettin—Sophia, Wetherall, -from Quebec—
Unity, Cragil, from St Petersburg—Ann, Lardine, from Riga.
SAILED—Don Juan. M'Comb, from Barbadoes.

Trinculo, Rea, from Singapore at Deal, sailed 26th April, from
Anjicr 9th May, and Ascension 11 th July. On the sth May, in the
Straits of Banca, spoke the John Knox, from Singapore for London
Baboo, Brock, from Calcutta at Deal
Canton, -, from Monte Video at Cowes
John Campbell. hence for Africa, was spoken on the 19th instant,
in lat 50, long 9
Ann Petley, Champion, sailed from Marseilles for this port on
the 12th instant
Smyrna, Copland, hence for Morrison's Haven, at Peterhead,
leaky, had heen repaired, and would proceed
Plata, --, from Lisbon, at Monte Video
Sylla, -, for Cowes, and Alpha, -, for Rotterdam, sailed
from Buenos Ayres, previous to 20th June

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25.—Wind South, moderate.
ARRIVED—Levant Packet, Reid; William Roger, Mazarck, and
Margaret Marshall, Bryce, from Archangel—Hylton, Booth, and
Esther, Hutchinson, from St Petersburg.
SAlLED—Pennsylvania, Smith • Hamilton, Bunting ; Carroll of
Carrollton, Bird ; Lewis Cass, Thatcher; Napoleon, Sherry ; Oco-
nee, Lyon, and Henry Leeds, Marshall, for New York—Lancaster,
Campbell, for Bombay—Victory, Jarvis, and Wilhelmina Maria,
Valentin, for Lisbon—Friheit, Meyer. for Lubeck—Nimrod; Man-
ning, and Monticello. Lawton, for Charleston—Savanilla, Ridley,
for Carthagena—Denmark, Lovett, and Trenton, I'ratt, for Boston
—Globe, Selsby, for Baltimore—Eliza Johnstone, Petrie, for Bahia
Calcutta, M'Lav ; Marion, Arthur ; Josepha, M'lnt're ; Augusts,
Rae, and Ruby,Westcott, for Quebec—Charlotte, Maim, for Odessa
—Hercules, Malrn, for Elsinore—Ceres, Storm, for Brahestadt—
Sophia, Lelean, for Dordt, &c,—Alexander Brandt, Konche, for
Archangel—Treasurer, Lowrie, and Morayshire, Lamot. for Rio
Janeiro-I'odg, M•Laren, for Pillau—Parker, Risien, for Demerara
—Dryad, Rickerty, for Sincapore--Minerva, Bradford, and Ally-
gha ny, Michaels, for thiladelphia—DerFriede, Bendfeldt. for Lu-
beek=Ellen Highfield, Doughtyfor Constantinople—Robert James
.Haynes, Graham, for Trinidad—Eliza Sandars, Bulley, &c—Emily,
Wardle, for Pernambuco—Governor Fenner, Church, for Mobile—
Ludwig Wilhelm, Muller, from Konigsberg—La Reins, Jansen, for
Antwerp—Waenskapen, Tornwick, for Wyberg—Hermes, Oli-
Pliant; for Valparaiso—Edward Thorne, Tizard, and Quebec, Pye,
for St. John, N.B.—Divina, Baillie, for Riga—Nymph, Hughes, fur
Rotterdam—Venerable, Martin, for Revel—lndustrie, Zellian, for
Ostend—Lune, Lotherington, and Atlantic, Seatle, for Miramichi
—Gesiena, Rosenna, for Groningen—Salvatorium, Giese, for Dan- •
zic—Avoca,Boadle, for Cape Good Hope—Les FrereiUnis, Dehost,
for Brussells—Argo, Fretwurst, for Rostock—Chieftain, Peters, for
Alexandria. Egypt—Hercules, Raisbeck, for Shediac—Sir John
Franklin, Borthwick, for Matanzas—Atlas, Schmidt, for Antwerp
—Castlercagh, Keller, for Harbor Grace, &c.

Garrick, Palmer, hence for New York, off Kinsale, 20th August
Australia, Forrester, from Batavia, at Manilla
Caledonia. Liddell, from China at ,ditto
FOrtheld, Sly, from Ceylon, at Penang •
Eniabeth, Highat, from Bombay, at Sincapore and sailed 16th
April for China
Vanguard, hence for China, at the Straits of Sunda
Letitia, Causzar, hence for Batavia, was spoken Nth July, in lat.
5, long. 20 W.
Arethusa, —, hence for Barbadoes, and Castilian Maid, from
Smyrna.for this port, were spoken 19th August, in lat. 46, long. 10
Alexander, Murray, hence at Genoa
Berbice, Grayson, from Berbice, off Margate
Margaret, pollard, hence for Leghorn, and Pembroke, Lillian,
hence for Rouen, at Kingstown
MILFORD, Aug. 22.—The Queen of the South, Gillard, from Li-
ver-mol for Newfoundland, drove athwart the hawse of the Barba-
does, from Newport for Trieste, last night and both received damage

• , SUNDAY, AUGUST 2G.—Wind W.N W. Moderate.
Artatvap— Abbotsford, Broadfoot, from Bombay—Earl Grey,
Adams, from Calcutta—Mediterranean, Child, from Africa—War_
ringsford, M'Gibbon, from Barbadoes—Limena, Snowden. from
Nassau—Jacob Penned, Martin, from New Orleans—Thames, Ar•
nold, and Courier, Duggan, from Mobile=Ceres, Blanchard, from
Savannah—Rupee. Appleton, from Charleston—Ward, Masters,
Irom St. John, N.B.—Anne, Seager, from Gireenti—Oporto,
from Oporto—Andromeda, —, from Quebec
SML,D—Porter, Porter, for Adelaide, (South Astralia)—Dorset,
Bishop, for Australia—Java, Hogarth, for Demerara.

Baboo, Brock, from Calcutta, at London
. Trinculo, Rea, from Sincapore, at ditto
Trinacria, Lagana, hence at Palermo, and sailed 31st July for
Messina

Margaretha, Boomgard. hence at Zooltkamp
Vicilante, Rentel, hence at Pißau

Fri-ederirke, Moller, hence at Kiel

Lorette, Voss, and FriederieK,io;ge, hence at Warnemun de
Scylla, Scott, from Buenos Ayres for Rotterdam, off Falmouth,
On the 22d June, in lat 32; long. 29, spoke the Reindeer hence for
Buenos Ayres
Aliquis, INV Fee, from Bombay, at this port ; sailed 11th April.
On the 24th June, in lat. 27 13 S, [ong. 610 E, spoke the Kingfisher,
from Muscat for London, out €5 days. On the Ist Aug. in lat. 23 53
N, long. 31 54 W, spoke the Christina, hence for Berbice, out 26
days. -On the 11th Aug. in lat. 39 N, long. 32 40 W, spoke the Al-
pha, from Buenos Ayres for Rotterdam, out 52 days. On the 17th
Aug. in lat. 43 50. long. 25 5 W, spoke the Hector, from Bombay,
for this port. Left loading Hector, for this port, and Triumph, for
London

PALERMO, 4th Aug—The LPvant,Cundy, from Smyrna-for Fal-
mouth, went on shore near Magara 29th July, anti is so imbedded
in the sand that part of her cargo must be discharged to get her off

'MONDAY, AUGUST 27.
ARRIVED.—Gulnare, Henderson, from Bombay—La Dawa,
Rabot, from Senegal and Bourdeaux—Bradshaw, —, from
Quebec—Neptune, Parker, from Newfoundland—Castilian Maid,
Scott, from Smyrna—Stranger, Searchwell, from Archangel—and
Mary Brade, Gillies, from Stettin.

Unity, Kendall, and Mary, Lyons, from Rio Grande. at Monte
Video

Mary Queen of Scotts, Killey, hence for Pernambuco, was
spoken 20th Ang. in Int. 45, long. n
Gratitude, White, hence for Barbadoes, was off Youghall 24th
instant

Black-eyed-Susan, Watkins, from Smyrna, off' Falmouth
Emma, Black-eyed-Susan,
from Leghorn, off Falmouth, and proceeded for
Liverpool
Hebden, Fowler, from Licata, at the Clyde 12th instant ; in lat.
42, long. 1.3 W, fell in with, and took on board a boat, with two
- ladies and a gentleman, passengers, also two of the crew, of the
American brig Briganza, from Philadelphia for Genoa : the crew
of which vessel had mutinied, and murdered the captain and mate
Eliza Grant, fsom New Orleans, at Havre, and aground in the
Dock, with loss of main and mizen masts, having been on shore
and struck the pier going in
Mary, Tascar, from Africa, at this port.; sailed from Bonny Bth
June, and from Fernando Po 15th June. Left at Fernando Po,
H.M.S. Pylades. with the Portuguese Schooner Prova, captured
3rd June, off Old Calabar, with slaves on board
NVilton Wood, Russell, from Monte Video, at this port; sailed
241 h June. Left the Argentina, loading for Liverpool ; ground
tier of tallow on board; and the Kelsick Wood, and Yare, for the
Continent