New-York tribune., 1901-01-20
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A new hall for the department of conchology. or
collection of shells, has been opened at the Museum
of Natural History, in Manhattan Square. Seventy
seventh-st. and Columbus-ave.. and contains
great many fine specimens from all parts of the
world
Any boy girl make collection of shells in
a small way. and even among those which
picked up along Atlantic Coast there is much
of interest.
Marine shells are divided into two classes-the
bivalves, like the oyster. clam and scallop. which
have two shells opening and closing at will of the
animal, and the univaves, like the perwinke,
snail and nautilus. well the fiat shells
which form sort of roof for the creatures living
within.
1t is customary to speak of shellhsh less
perfect" animals. Yet they really attain the per-
fection of their own type of structure.
Shellfsh belong to that division of the animal
kingdom known mollusca, and described
animals with soft bodies enveloped in a muscular
skin. usually protected by univalve a bvalve
she'll" That part Of their anatomy which contains
the ntestines and secretes the shell substance is
called the mantle"
Mollusks rule have the senses of seeing
hearing and smelling and the most of them can
walk. having feet locomotive muscles The
under side of the body forms a singular muscular
foot. on which the animal creeps or glldes as do
the gasteropoda snails
Conchifera or oysters. breathe by two pairs of
gilis in the form of fiat plates of membrane which
are attached 10 the mantle, one 10 the right and
one to the left Of the body
All moluscous animals are much alike in in
1ancy and as different from their parents as the
caterpillar is from the butterfly While the
parents walk about with becoming gravity the
young are all swimmers and by means Of fms and
ocean currents travel .ong distances, and thus
conditions can be found. Myriads Of these little
noyasers drift from the shores into the open sea
ana there perish. and become part of the deposit
tor the bed Of the deep in depths too great
tifre and many can spin silken threads with which
The parent mollusks exhibit the same care as in:
sects and animals do in placing their eggs where
ences of air and heat. and surrounded by food
which the young will require.
There Carnivorous tribes of mollusks which
prey chiefly on other sheIhsh; animal
sheldsh great eaters, Sc they in turn afford
food TO many other creatures There many
raccoon seek them the seashore when pressed
by hunger. There are birds too, which feed
Resides being articles of food the shells Of mol
Imagination hear IN them the roaring Of the sea
They are the pride Of collectors. and form the
money and ornaments Of barbarous tribes Some
motlusks bury themselves In the winter or hide
come torpid during the hottest and driest part Of
tfai shells. and so are the shores Of the West
Indies. Shells taken from the west coast of Amer
fact the richest shells are found in the Pacifc
The collection of shells of the mollusca is dis
PLAYED on the third floor Of the south wing
OF the Museum, and IT has been arranged some
what novel lines The shelves OF the wall cases are
tipped downward. better to display the speCi-
mems, and covered with dark green cloth,
which the shells laid directly. without the
usual cardboard trays This soft. dark background
brings the strong curves and graceful formation
OF shells and harmonizes with the mellow
colorings OF the harp shells. the partridge and
delicate olives, all OF which we'll worth visit
Many of the exhibits illustrated by colored
diagrams and maps. showing the anatomy OF the
typical shell animals, the portion OF the earth
they inhablt. with interesting notes the natural