No. 4.] DAWSON — POST-PLIOCENE. 377 



A thin and delicate variety with smooth epidermis is found in 

 the Leda day ; coarser and more wrinkled varieties in the Saxi- 

 cava sand. Larger specimens are found at Quebec and Riviere- 

 du-Loup than more inland. 



In the modern Grulf, the small and depauperated varieties are 

 littoral and near the brackish water, the finer varieties passing 

 into Ma coma fu sea of Say, which is a southern variety, are found 

 on the coast of Nova Scotia and in the Bay of Fundy. This 

 shell is represented in the European seas and Post-pliocene de- 

 posits by the closely allied species 3L solidula or Balthica, 

 which seems to pass through a corresponding series of varieties, 

 but to be distinct. On the western American coast it is similarly 

 represented by 31. inconsplcua . Mr. Tryon and Mr. Whiteaves 

 believe the three forms to be conspecific. (P. P. C.) 



It is said to be the Tellina Fahricil of Hanley, and I have 

 specimens from Greenland from Morch labelled T. tenera. The 

 T. tenera of Leach, however, is proxlma, Brown, teste Hanley. 

 It is apparently the Venus fragilis of Fabricius. 



It is one of the most common and abundant shells of the Post- 

 pliocene, as it is of the American coast from Greenland to New 

 England. 



Macoma calcarea, Chemnitz. 



Fossil — Leda and Boulder clays ; Montreal ; Quebec; Murray 

 Bay ; Riviere-du-Loup ; Duck Cove, St. John, N.B. ; Maine ; 

 Labrador ; Greenland (Moller) ; also European Post-pliocene. 



Recent — Arctic seas generally, and on the American coast 

 south to Massachusetts. 



This shell is is extremely abundant in the Leda and Boulder 

 clays, and often occurs in the clay with the valves attached. It is 

 also of large size and in fine condition, especially at Riviere-du- 

 Loup. It is Tellina proxima, Brown, T. sabulosa, Spengler, and 

 T. sordida of Couthuoy. According to Hanley, the T. lata, of 

 Gmelin was founded on a figure of this shell. 



Macoma injlata, Stimpson. 



Fossil — Montreal ; Riviere-du-Loup. Rare. 



Recent — Murray Bay, and dredged in deeper parts of the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence by Mr. Whiteaves. 



I am not aware where this little shell has been described, nor 

 what is its range. It seems identical with a specimen in Jeffrey's 

 collection labelled Tellina fragilis Leach, from Spitzbergen. 



