946 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvi. 



concentric riblets reparated by about equal interspaces; in the adult 

 the posterior slope and ventral third of the disk have the ril)lets 

 lephiced h\ somewhat uneven concentric striation; interior smootli, 

 the inner margins finely evenly crenate; hinj^e rather solid, the middle 

 cardinal in each valve grooved or bifid. Height, 25; length, 28; 

 diameter, 15 nnn. 



The type specimen, No. 106859, is from 51 fathoms, sand, near the 

 Shumagin Islands, Alaska. The nearest form to this is ^1. sulcata var. 

 iniilt!c(>sfi(t(( Jefireys, which in form and outline approaches it very 

 closely, ])ut differs by sparser ribbing, which is also more regular and 

 extends over the whole shell. 



ASTARTE ALASKENSIS, new species. 

 Plate LXIII, fig. 2. 



Shell ovate, subcompressed, white, with a dark, strong, caducous 

 periostracum, which, like that of ^1. elliptica., becomes black in the 

 dead or senile shells; valves quite inequilateral, beaks at the anterior 

 third, elevated, slightly compressed, prosSgyrate; lunule excavated, 

 sublanceolate, the escutcheon longer and Avider; sculpture of about a 

 dozen concentric riblets with wider interspaces, more feeble near the 

 ventral and posterior margins; inner margins entire, smooth; hinge 

 solid, the teeth narrow and entire. Height, 2(3; length, 31.5; diameter, 

 1-1 mm. 



Type specimens from northwest of Unimak Island, in the southern 

 part of Bering Sea, at a depth of 70 fathoms; l)ottom temperature 

 39-^ F. U.S.N.M., No. 109274. 



ASTARTE BENNETTII, new species. 



Plate LXIII, fig. 6. 



? Astiuie varhami I.kciik, Vega exped., Ill, 1883, p. 442, pi. xxxii, figs. H and 

 12 (only). 



Shell small, thin, subcuneate, subcompressed, with a polished oliva- 

 ceous periostracmn ; posterior end shorter, bluntly rounded; anterior 

 end longer, more sloping and direct dorsally, rounded; base nearly 

 straight in the young; surface finely concentrically striate, or nearly 

 smooth, the stria? more apparent on the beaks; lunule narrow, lanceo- 

 late, impressed, escutcheon similar, a little longer than the lunule; 

 beaks high, slightly prosogyrate; hinge delicate, the large cardinals 

 slightl}" grooved above, the laterals apparent; pallial line rather near 

 the margin, which is not crenulate. Height 10.5, length 11.5, diame- 

 ter 5.0 mm.; Bei-ing Sea specimen height 14.5, length 15.0, diameter 

 7.0 mm. 



In the terrible retreat from the Jeannette over the arctic fioes ]\Ir. 

 Newcombe, the naturalist of the expedition, retained a small packet 



