822 POPULAR SCRIPTURE ZOOLOGY.

descriptive of the snail, whose glutinous secretion so clearly
marks the line of its progress. The expression used is “ As
a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away.”
“We should be disposed to render the first part of this verse
by ‘ Like the snail which wasteth away as it goes*.’ ”

It has been already stated that the word translated snail
in Leviticus xi. was probably the Lacerta stellio, a kind of
lizard, the original, chomet, signifying to bow down; and
this Lacerta is noted for bowing its head continually, so
that the Mahommedans destroy it, saying that it mimics
their attitude of prayer.

Orpen LAMELLIBRANCHIATA.

Avicuta (Meleagrina) MmaRcaRitivena—The Pear
Oyster.

The valuable and beautiful substance called mother-of-
pearl, and pearls themselves, are generally found in the
above-named shell, though there are many others which
produce them in considerable numbers; such as the com-
mon oyster (Ostrea edulis), the mussel (Mytilus edit), the

* Pictorial Bible.