This spot seemed to be much frequented by the natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.

Many small springs rose in the limestone rock and ran into the creek, on the banks of which large quantities of mussel-shells showed the frequent camps of the blacks.

Altering the course to north-east, the country was covered with melaleuca scrub, with silver-leafed ironbark, triodia, and a little grass; but we soon re-entered the open plains which extended to the north, and, following a watercourse at 3.5 p.m. camped at a small muddy waterhole, on the banks of which the blacks had often encamped, as shown by the heaps of mussel-shells round their fireplaces.

On the banks of the lagoon passed in the morning large heaps of mussel-shells showed the spots where, from the vast accumulation, the blacks had for many centuries camped successively on the same spots, and a well-beaten footpath along the bank showed that it was a favourite resort of the aboriginals.

This is, however, easily accounted for, as the country had been inundated last season, though the current had not been sufficiently strong to remove some emu bones and mussel shells which lay round a native camping place within a few yards of the spot.

The Starfish merely presses the mussel into its mouth, cleans out the shells, and throws them away.

It now looks more like a tiny mussel.

2. EDIBLE MUSSEL.

SHELLS AND THEIR BUILDERS (2) THE MUSSEL AND OYSTER.

As everyone knows, the Mussel and the Oyster live between two hinged shells.

Have you noticed how the Mussel anchors himself?

Now the threads are fixed by the foot, just where the Mussel wishes to anchor himself.

The Mussel which makes such long anchor-threads might be called "the silkworm of the sea.

The Mussel or Oyster, with shells gaping wide open, is bound to get some of this food with the water which enters the shells.

How does the Mussel anchor itself?

What is the food of the Mussel? 4.

These strata alternate with banks of clay and coarse-grained soil, which contain scanty and badly preserved imprints of leaves and mussel-fish.

The rice is cut halm by halm (as in Java) with a peculiarly-formed knife, or, failing such, with the sharp-edged flap of a mussel

A small mussel has pierced the clay banks at the water-line, in such number that they look like honeycombs.

Large quantities of small mussel shells (Cypraea moneta) were sent at this period to Siam, where they are still used as money.

Large heaps of oyster, mussel, and cockle shells were found, amongst them, says Cook, "being some of the largest oyster shells I ever saw."

In one cavern at the point of Mussel Bay," he adds, "I disturbed some thousands of birds, and found as many thousands of living shell-fish scattered on the surface of a heap of shells, that for aught I know, would have filled as many thousand wagons."

"I'll crush the podies like a mussel shells.

Although as completely naked as the others we had met, the members of this band were more ornamented with beads, and wore earrings made from the inside of mussel-shells or very big snail- shells.

Investigations made to ascertain the cause show the poisonous part of the mussel to be the liver.