MOLLUSCA 161 



off southern New Jersey from shallow water to 10 

 fathoms; occasionally used as food, but usually re- 

 garded as too tough or too sandy; sometimes 

 gathered in considerable numbers for use as fish 

 bait. 



Mulinia lateralis Say (Salt Marsh Clam) 



(Mactra lateralis Say) 



Hinge similar to the above but the shell is much 

 smaller (less than an inch in length). A prominent 

 shelf or constriction on the shell is characteristic of 

 this species. Very common in brackish water in 

 sandy associations from 1 to 4 fathoms; especially 

 abundant in Delaware Bay. 



Labiosa canaliculata Say 



PLATE XVII. Fig. 1 



Hinge somewhat similar to Mactra, but the shell 

 is very thin and ornamented with ridges; fairly 

 common south of Virginia; broken shells are oc- 

 casionally found on the beaches of southern New 

 Jersey. 



Mesodesma arctatum Conrad 

 (Ceronia arctata Conrad) 



PLATE XIV. Fig. 15 



A northern species that is occasionally found 

 on the New Jersey beaches from Seaside Park north- 

 ward. 



