430 DOSINIIN/E. 



Sub-fam. DOSINIINiE. 



Siphons united. Foot sub-quadrangular, without a byssal 



groove. 



Shell orbicular. Sinus of pallial impression oblique, 

 triangular. 



Genus DOSINIA, Scopoli. 



Animal orbicular, compressed ; mantle-margin plicate ; 

 foot sub-quadrangular. 



Shell orbicular, compressed, concentrically striated, deeply 

 lunulate under the beaks. Hinge with three teeth in each 

 valve, the lunular tooth elongate and compressed ; ligament 

 external, partially concealed under the lozenge. Sinus of 

 pallial impression deep, oblique, triangular, with the apex 

 acuminate. 



S//n. Artemis, Poll. Arthemis, Blainv. Orbiculus, 

 Muhlf. Exoleta, Brown. Asa, Leach. Arctoe, Taras, 

 Risso. 



Ex. ~D. lupina, Linnaus, pi. 108, fig. 5. Shell, D. 

 exoleta, Linnaus, fig. 5, a, 5, b. 



The united siphons and large, lunate, inferior foot of 

 the animal, and the orbicular, concentrically-striated shell, 

 without any anterior tooth under the lunule, and with a 

 deep and angular siphonal inflection, serve to characterise 

 this genus. While in Venus and its sub-genera we find the 

 cancellated or festooned style of ornament to predominate, 

 and in Meretrix the smooth and painted style to prevail, 

 the surface of the valves in Dosinia is usually concentri- 

 cally grooved, and of a white or pale color. The species 

 range from low-water to eighty fathoms, and are found both 



