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Date: | Thu, 30 Apr 1998 00:14:43 EDT |
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Sorry! I accidentally hit the SEND key before I was finished with this!
<<"frog shells", wentletraps, and "Tun shells" which make
no sense at all in modern-day English>>
Frog shells are named for the squat, heavy, angular appearance of certain
species, such as Bursa tuberosissima, Bursa lamarckii, and especially Bursa
bufonia which, in my opinion, is the most "frog-like" in shape of any species.
The name "bufonia" incidentally means "toad-like". Other species names in the
family also refer to frogs and toads (Bufo = toad; rana = frog).
"wentletrap", as you said, is not english - it is dutch, meaning "spiral
staircase".
"Tun shell" actually is from modern english. A Tun is a cask or keg, which is
what these shells are named after.
Regards,
Paul M.
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