LAMELLIBRANCHIATA. 69 



FAMILY VENERIDJE. 



Shell regular, closed, sub-orbicular or oblong ; ligament external ; 

 hinge usually with three diverging teeth in each valve ; muscular im- 

 pressions oval, polished ; pallial line more or less sinuated. 



VENUS. 



Oval, thick, inequilateral, swollen ; hinge with three cardinal teeth, 

 simple or bifid, in each valve, and a small anterior lateral tooth ; trans- 

 versely grooved or lamellate, margin finely crenulated ; pallial line 

 short and sinuous, always oblique. 



Europe. Indian Ocean. lied Sea. China. Philippines. Brazil. 

 Peru. Australia. 



* 55. V. tuberosa, Deshayes, Gat. Condi., Brit. Mus., p. 99. 

 Cordato-globose, inequilateral, thick, solid, chaffy, with regular, con- 

 centric, thick, convex, broad, tuberculous ribs ; tubercles unequal, the 

 posterior ones larger, obliquely diverging, median obsolete ; umbones 

 large, swollen, cordate, longitudinally striated ; lunule brown, broadly 

 cordate, flat, impressed, finely striated ; ligamental area excavated, 

 elongato-lanceolate ; marked with large transverse spots. (Deshayes) 



New Zealand (British Museum). 



56. V. Oblonga, Gray, Dieff. N.Z., ii., p. 249. Ovato-oblong ; 

 both ends obtuse ; very slightly radiately striated, and with thick, 

 obtuse, rounded, concentric laminae, which are higher and rather 

 thinner at each end ; lunule ovato-cordiform, striated, deeply edged ; 

 margin finely crenulated, pallial sinus small, broad, triangular. White 

 with a few red rays near the umbo ; interior white. Height, 1'5 ; 

 length, 175. 



Stewart's Island. Wellington. 



57. V. Zealandica, Gray, Dieff. N.Z., ii.,p. 249. Ovato-cordate, 

 ventricose, solid, with close, regular, slightly elevated, concentric 

 laminse, which are higher at each end ; lunule large, ovato-cordate ; 

 margin finely crenulated. Brown, or brownish white, interior white. 

 Height, 1-8 ; length, 23. 



CHIONE. 



Oval ; sub-trigonal ; hinge with two or three cardinal teeth in each 

 valve, but no anterior lateral tooth ; pallial sinus short, broad, tri- 

 angular. 



58. C. lamellata, Lamark, Anim. sans vert., vi.,p. 349. Oval, 

 angled in front, with distant transverse lamellae which are striated on 

 the outside, and recurved and fringed in the adult. White. Height, 

 15 ; length, 2'25. 



Two single valves only. 



59. C. yatei, Gray, Dieff. N.Z., ii.,p. 250. Ovate, sub-quadrate, 

 compressed, inequilateral ; anterior end short, sub-angulated ; posterior 

 truncated ; with thin, concentric, erect, distant lamella), which are much 

 higher and dentate at the posterior end ; lunule lanceolate, imbricate- 



