344 VENERIB.E. 



gated, as that of southern examples from shallow water. 

 Other specimens from each of these localities and habitats 

 are either sulphur-yellow or chalky- white. The young 

 are squarish, and resemble a Cardium in shape and sculp- 

 ture; the fry are round, perfectly smooth, and glossy. 

 Sometimes the shell is twisted, and the longitudinal ribs 

 are not formed in every part, especially towards the 

 front. 



If it were not for the links connecting this with allied 

 exotic species, I should have been tempted to separate 

 V. ovata generically, and to adopt Leach's reputed 

 name Timoclea for it. The very short tubes, oval shell, 

 Cockle-like sculpture, and complete striation of the in- 

 side margin are not unimportant characters. It is pro- 

 bably the V. lusitanica of Gmelin, and certainly the 

 Cardium striatum of Walker, V. crenulata of Solander, 

 V. radiata of Brocchi (but not of Chemnitz nor of 

 G. B. Sowerby), V. pectinula of Lamarck, V. spadicea of 

 Renier, and Pasipha'e Pennantia of Leach. 



E. Mantle-tubes for the most part united. Shell triangular, 

 ornamented with concentric ribs ; inside margin notched 

 on all sides except the posterior one. 



8. V. gallina*, Linne. 



V. gallina, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 1130. V. striatula, F. & H. i. p. 408. 

 pi. xxiii. f. 4, pi. xxiv. f. 4, and pi. xxvi. f. 9-11. 



Body white : mantle having its edges fringed with short 

 line white filaments arranged in tufts, so that it appears to be 

 sinuous: tubes rather slender, and when extended they are about 

 half the length of the shell (according to Clark ; but Forbes 

 and Hanley say, " very nearly equalling the breadth of the 

 shell") ; they are of the same length and almost united through- 

 out, pale sidphur-yellow or bistre, sprinkled with minute red- 

 brown points, and in some examples slightly tinged with rose 



* Hen. 



