ASTARTE CASTxlNEA. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Beaks nearly central ; epidermis chesnut-brown. 



SYNONYM. 



Venus castxVnea. Nobis. Jour. dead. Nat. JSc. vol. 

 iv. p. 273. 



description. 



Shell thick and ponderous, suborbicular, or subtriangu- 

 lar, with prominent and nearly central beaks : luniile ex- 

 cavated, lanceolate : cartilage slope rectilinear, indented : 

 disk with minute, concentric wrinkles and larger undula- 

 tions : epidermis chesnut-brown, with somewhat darker 

 or paler zones : within bluish-white ; the margin very 

 regularly crenulated. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Not very unfrequent on the coast of Newjersey. Its 

 surface is often sculptured with very slightly elevated, ob- 

 tuse lines, or undulations, which are sometimes rather 

 more elevated and acute. It is longer in proportion to its 

 breadth than the danmonieiisis of Montagu, and is destitute 

 of the line and regular striae, with which the ohliquata is 

 marked. 



REFERENCE TO THE PEATE. 



Tlic upper figure cxliibits the exterior view. 

 Tlic middle figures — inside of the two valves. 

 The lower figure — back of the shell. 

 PLATE I. 



DSI 



