TEREDO, in natural history, ship-worm, a genus of the Vermes Testaeea class rind order. Animal a`terebella, with two calcareous hemispherical valves before, and two lanceolate ones behind • shell tapering, flexuous, and capable of pene trating wood. There are three Species.
T. navalis, shell very thin, cylindrical, smooth ; found in the sides and bottoms of ships, and the stoutest oak pales, which have remained some time under and was imported from India.' The destruction which these worms effect under water, is almost equal to that of the Termes, or white ant, on land. (See TEmitEs!) The shell is more or less twisted, rather obtuse at the tip, and from four to six inches long. They will appear, on a very little con sideration, to be most important beings in the great chain of creation, and pleas. ing 'demonstrations of the infinitely wise and gracious Power which formed, and still preserves, the whole in such won derful order and beauty; for if it was not for the rapacity of these and such animals, tropical rivers, and indeed the ocean itself, would be choked with the bodies of tress which are annually car ried down by the torrents, as many of them would last for ages, and probably be productive of evils, of which, happily, we cannot in the pre sent harmonious state of things form any idea ; 'Whereas now, being consuni.
ed by these 'animals, they are more easily broken in pieces by the waves ; and the fragments which- are not de voured become specifically lighter, and aye consequently more readily and more effectually thrown on shore, where the sun, wind, insects, and various other in struments, speedily promote their entire dissolution. These animals are- only found in sak water.