122 THE- VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



The variety of this well-kuown West Indian species from the Cape Verde Islands 

 is not so prolonged and acuminate posteriorly as the normal form, the concentric ribs are 

 not so interrupted and lamellar behind, and the valves are ornamented with four brown 

 rays, three being the usual number. Venus cypria, Sowerby, from the west coast of 

 Central America, I regard as a variety of this species, and Venus varicosa of the same 

 author appears to be another form of it with the concentric ribs excessively thickened. 



Venus (Chione) ccdophylla, Phdippi. 



Venus calophylla, Philippi, Wiegmann's Archiv fiir Nat., 1836, vol. i. p. 229, pi. viii. fig. 2. 



Venus calophiillu, Hanley, Cat. Rec. Biv., Append., j). 301, pi. xvi. %. 26. 



Venits calophijlla, Reeve, Conch. Icon., pi. xxiiL fig. 114. 



Venus calophylla, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. ii. ji. 724, pi. clx. fig. 176. 



Venus thiara, Sowerby, Gen. Eec. and Foss. Shells, fig. 3. 



Veiius tliiara, Reeve, Conch. Sj'st., vol. i. pi. ixvii. fig. 3. 



Venus (Anaitis) calophylla, Eomer, Mai. Blatt., 1865, vol. xii. p. 157. 



Venus (CircompJialus) calojjhylla, H. and A. Adams, Genera, vol. ii. p. 422. 



Vemis ciuningil, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. ii. p. 725, pi. clvii. fig. 122. 



Habitat. — Station 187, west of Cape York, North Australia,in 3 to 28 fathoms; Station 

 203, PhUijipine Islands, in 20 fathoms ; and Port Jackson, Sydney, in 4 to 18 fathoms. 



This species is very variable in the number of the concentric lamellae. In a S23ecimen 

 from China there are only twelve, whdst in another of equal size from North-east Australia 

 there are as many as twenty-eight. Ven us cumingii certainly cannot be regarded in 

 any other light than as a mere variety. The extra rotundity in the type is in a great 

 measure due to its being a young shell, which if allowed to have arrived at maturity 

 would no doubt have prolonged the hinder end of the shell as is the case with this species. 



Venus [Chione) foliacea, Philippi. 



Venus foliacea, Philippi, Abbild., vol. ii. p. 107, pi. v. fig. 1. 



Chione foliacea, Deshayes, Cat. Conchif. Brit. Mus., p. 122. 



Venus thiara, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. ii. p. 723, pi. clviii. figs. 125-130. 



Venus thiara. Reeve, Conch. Icon., pi. xxiii. figs. 109, 110. 



Chione retroversa, Deshayes, Cat. Conchif. Brit. Mus., p. 123. 



Venus (Anaitis) foliacea, Romer, Mai. Bliitt., 1865, vol. xii. p. 160. 



Habitat. — Stations 186, 187, and 189, all in the region of Torres Strait, North 

 Australia, at depths varying from 3 to 28 fathoms (Challenger) ; Japan, Port Curtis, 

 Queensland, Ceylon (British Museum) ; Eed Sea and Madagascar (PhUippi). 



This species, although very closely related to Venus tiara (DUlwyn, auct.), may 

 perhaps be sufficiently distinguishable. The specimens figured by Sowerby and Eeeve 

 are remarkable for the development of the posterior lobe of the concentric lamellae, and 



