the Shells of Maine. 315 



Genus Osteodesma. Desh. 



O. (Lyonsia,) hyalina, Con. Couth. Pelagic. I have oc- 

 casionally found specimens of this shell in the stomachs of 

 haddock, taken in the open sea, many miles from land, in 

 very deep water, but I have never found a single fragment of 

 it upon any of our shores. 



Genus Cochlodesma. Couth. 



C (Anaiina,) leana, Con. Couth. 1 have found a few 

 specimens of this species in the stomachs of fishes, but never 

 in any other situation. That it inhabits the coast there can 

 be no doubt, as 1 once took a specimen from the stomach of 

 a haddock that was caught in the harbor, within a mile of 

 Portland. 



Genus Thracia. Leach. 



T. conradi, Couth. Pelagic. This rare and interesting 

 species is occasionally picked up on our sandy beaches after 

 violent easterly storms. I have a single valve which was 

 dredged by Capt. Walden, near the Fox Islands, off the mouth 

 of the Penobscot river, in very deep water. 



T. truncata, Mighels. Pelagic. Hab. Casco Bay. I have 

 never found more than half a dozen specimens of this inter- 

 esting species, all of which were taken from the stomachs of 

 haddock, caught in very deep water several miles from land. 



Genus Mactra. Desh. 



M. gigantea, Lam. This huge species abounds on all our 

 sandy beaches, above and below low-water mark ; it however 

 attains its greatest size and perfection below that line. Cart- 

 loads are sometimes thrown upon Saco beach by easterly 

 storms. It is used by a few as an article of food, but it is not 

 generally esteemed. It is tough and indigestible, and I have 

 known some to be seriously injured by eating it. In a strong, 

 hardy man, it produced a severe colic, accompanied with ter- 

 rific spasms and entire loss of consciousness, which lasted 



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