The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-23
LECTURE ON MOLLUSCA.
Subject Very Interestingly Treated by
Curator SouihwiCk.
Different MolIusca, Their Habits, edlbI'Iiy
and Regions Of Habitat.

Last evening at "a North Main street
the members OF the Franklin Society
were entertained by Mr.. James Nj.
Southwick, curator Of the Park mu-
scum, with a lecture on "Mollusca."
The contents OF two gripsacks and
numerous drawings with chalk sketch
es soon made apparent the fact that
Mr. Southwick had come with the pre-
meditated intention OF giving an ex-
haustive review of the subject Those
who have had the privilege of listen
ing TO Mr. Southwick are always i'm
state of delightful anticipation for
whatever the subject on which he dis
courses he is sure TO bring fun
knowledge and he imparts that i'm a
way that induces in HIS listeners some
OF his own enthusiasm--in his case
partly a gift and partly an art.
He said that mollusca was sub
kingdom among animals-creatures
with soft bodies. without any back
bone but with the various shells that
usually cover them. The lowest end of
the scale Is the teredo or as usually
called the ship worm, so called be-
cause il stretches out like n worm
though having no affinity with true
worms. IL starts at first as a soft mite
q free swimming creature that quickly
fastens itself TO submerged timbers
and bores I'm through tiny hole pene-
tratlng all soft wood and even oak. At
one time this creature threatened to
destroy the dikes OF Holland. once this
mollusk is within the wood IL rapidly
elonsates itself and its burrow, grow
ing with us 20 a length OF ten inches
and even TO two feet I'm the tropics, All
- H.. <.1r t
home since It does not digest the wood
The burrows run lengthwise of the
wood. but, however many there may
be they never run one into the other.
One end Of t.is creature Is covered
with a small biyalve shell. The other
terminates with two siphons which ap-
proach or extend through the open
ing of the burrow.
As we pass on 60 higher develop
ments these soft bodied creatures are
better covered by shells, often com
petely SO, as the oyster. the cardium or
heart shells unios or fresh water clans,
mussels, etc.
Later, one finds forms with no shells
at all, and arrives at the chitons,a FAM
lily covered by eight valves or plates
Then follow thousands of .univalves
and one finally arrive at the so-called
devil fish or cepholopods. creatures
walking upside down with feet or arms
upon their heads. These are again di-
vided into octopods and decapods ac
cording as they have eight or ten arms
Some of these like the nautilus secrete
a pearly and chanlbered shell.
Between these extremes of structure
are found species estimated In all at
about $4,000. OF which about $4,000 are
marine, while $4,000 are found in fresh
water and Upon the fHnd.
The above is but the initiative to n
lecture which occupied more than an
hour i'm the description OF the different
mollusca. their habits. their edibillty
and the regions of their habitat
While there was a fair attendance
present yet the number OF vacant seate
would indicate that these lectures free
20 all. do not as methods for education
attract In any measure like entertain
ments for simple pleasure rs this an
evidence that the majority OF the COM
munity know IL all. or that exact
knowledge is at great discount
through an ucational cause which
gives too much OF a smattefng of
many things but does not in any meas
ure discipline the mind to NJ II for the
proper reception OF exact knowledge?