the Shells of Maine. 317 



ter near Machias. The largest of them are one and a half 

 inch in length. When recent and perfect, the epidermis 

 is continuous from one valve to the otlier. 



Genus Petricola. Lam. 



P. pholadiformis, Lam. Only a few imperfect valves and 

 fragments of this species have, as yet, been found in Maine. 

 These were picked up on Old Orchard beach, near Saco. 



Genus Sanguinolaria. Lam. 



S.fusco, Say, Con. This sliell abounds in all our still, 

 muddy bays, especially near the mouths of rivers and streams, 

 where the mud is deep, both above and below low-water 

 mark. It would also seem that it must be plenty in deep 

 water, as I have often found it, in considerable numbers, in 

 the stomachs of haddock. 



Genus Tellina. Lin. 



T. sordida, Couth. Pelagic. Dwarfish specimens of this 

 shell, about the size and appearance of those noticed by Dr. 

 Gould, (^Invert. Moss. p. 67,) are very frequently obtained 

 from fisfies' stomachs taken in Casco Bay, but its more con- 

 genial residence is much further north, where its generic char- 

 acters are more distinctly developed, and where it attains a 

 much larger size. A specimen now lies before me which was 

 taken, with many others of equal dimensions, in the Gulf of 

 St. Lawrence, which is L8 inch in length, LI in height, 

 and .5 in breadth. 



Dr. Gould thinks "this shell belongs to the same genus as 

 Say's Fsammohia fusca,^^ and remarks that '' the slight wave 

 along the posterior margin is no more conspicuous than in 

 that shell." This remark will not apply even to the small 

 specimens found in Casco Bay, the flexure being much more 

 conspicuous than in any of the specimens of Say's shell, 

 vvhicli I have seen ; and in the St. Lawrence specimens it is 

 as fully developed as in most of the species of Tellino, and 

 much more so than in some species that are unhesitatingly 



