Veneridae 73 



orbicular, moderately thin, delicate periostracum; umbos small, di- 

 rected forward; concentric growth lines and fine striations; submar- 

 ginal hinge ligament; cardinal teeth typical; interior white, pallial 

 sinus ascending, rounded extremity; margms smooth. 



Genus CHIOjVE Megerle von Miihlfeld, 1811 

 Chioneioo cancellata (Linne) PI. 14, fig. 86 



Alt., 33; length, 38; diam., 18 mm. Shell rounded, inequilateral, 

 posterior margin lengthened and convex; anterior margin short, 

 slightly concave; cream color or grayish with zigzag pencillings or 

 triangular patches of brown; umbos round, not prominent; lunule 

 well impressed with brown markings; escutcheon smooth, excavated, 

 marked with brown lines; strongly lamellate concentric sculpture 

 crossing rounded radiating ribs, the lamellae separated by interspaces 

 about four and twenty-five hundredths millimeters wide. Interior 

 smooth, yellow, purple or a combination of the two colors. Pallial 

 sinus short, angular; inner margins crenate; other features typical. 



Chione iiitapurpurea^o Conrad PI. 14, flg. 87 



Alt., 30; length, 35; diam., 21 mm. Shell with shape and general 

 characters of C. cancellata; deep cream color with heavy angular 

 markings of brown; ventral margin strongly convex; lunule im- 

 pressed, brown; escutcheon almost flat, brown; many close, rounded, 

 concentric ribs, somewhat lamellate anteriorly, strongly lamellate 

 over posterior area. Not all ribs extend to margins of lunule and 

 escutcheon; radial sculpture of impressed lines which do not cross 

 ribs but are well defined in interspaces and on lateral aspects of ribs. 

 Interior smooth, purple — deepest near posterior border and muscle 

 scars; inner margin crenate; other characters typical. 



This Chione is preyed upon by a purplish-colored, five-armed 

 starfish; several other species of starfish are taken coincidently but 

 none have been observed to attack this clam. 



Dredged in three to six fathoms on gravelly bottom. 



103 Lat., Chione, a mythological personage; canccllatus, latticed. 

 11" Lat., inter, within; purpura, a purple dye. 



