412 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.47. 



we had the open sea, which here presumably differs in no manner 

 from other open-sea stations along the 200 miles or more of this 

 coast. The bottom di'ops off very gradually to the edge of the con- 

 tinental shelf, some 75 or 100 miles out. 



The open-sea stations we occupied were, as might be expected, 

 very poor. The smooth, hard sand bottom seemed almost barren 

 of life, and the softer patches that we explored contained only many 

 dead shells — mostly small bivalves. We should admit, however, 

 that our work in the open sea was scarcely a good test, although we 

 made probably 20 hauls from the shore out some 4 or 5 miles, but 

 the chart somidings indicated some more promising areas of pebbly 

 bottom a few miles beyond what we considered the safety zone for 

 a small motor boat. 



Tlie inner waters of the sound we found imexpectedly rich in 

 molluscan life, the species, for the most part, not having been taken 

 outside or in the bight. 



We spent but two full working days, and were fortunate in securing 

 an excellent boat and obliging skipper. The material has been 

 identified with great care, all the critical species having been sub- 

 jected to the most rigorous investigation. The following is the list 

 of our catch: 



LIST OF SPECIES COLLECTED. 



OSTREA VIRGINICA Gmelin. 

 ANOMIA GLABRA VerrUl. 

 PECTEN GIBBUS IRRADIANS Lamarck. 

 MYXaUS EDDLIS Linnaeus. 

 SCAPHARCA TRANSVERSA Say. 



The t3^ical as well as a varietal form occurs. 



SCAPHARCA CAMPECHENSIS PEXATA Say. 



Some specimens referable to the form holmesii Kurtz. 



ARCA (.NOETLA) PONDEROSA Say. 

 NUCULA PROXIMA Say. 



Assateague Bight only. 



YOLDIA LIMATULA Say. 



Assateague Bight only. These specimens all show a tendency to 

 turn up the pointed end, giving a slightly concave dorsal line from 

 the beak to the anterior tip. 



LEDA ACUTA Conrad. 



VENERICARDLA GRANULOSA Say=CARDITA BOREALIS Authors. 



VENERICARDLA (PLEUROMERIS) TRIDENTATA Say. 



ASTARTE CASTANEA Say. 



CRASSATELLA (ERIPHYLA) LUNULATA Conrad. 



DIVARZCELLA QUADRISULCATA Orblgny. 



PHACOIDES AURANTLA, Deshayes. 



One valve on beach (adventitious ?) . 



