MAEGAEITIFEKA. 325 



Family AVICULID^. 

 Genus MARGARITIFERA, P. Browne. 



[Nat. Hist. Jamaica, ed. 1789, p. 412.] 



Unioniutn, Link, Besch. Rostock, Abth. iii. 1807, p. 155. 

 Margaritiphora, Megeiie von Miihlfeldt, Ges. Naturf. Fr. Berlin, 



Magazin, 1811, p. 66. 

 Margarita, Leach, Zool. Misc. vol. i. 1814, p. 107. 

 Perlamatcr, Schumacher, Essai Nouv. Syst. Habit. Testaces, 1817, 



p. 107. 

 Meleagrina, Lamarck (1812), Hist. Nat. Anim. sans Vert. t. vi. 



pt. 1, 1819, p. 150. 



Shell pearly, less oblique than in Avicula, whilst the valves 

 are broader and almost equal in size ; posterior auricle short, not 

 separated by a sinus ; hinge teeth visible in the young, but not in 

 the adult. 



It is unfortunate that the ■well-known Meleagrina, Lamarck, 

 should have to disappear in synonymy, as above indicated, but it 

 cannot be helped if we are to be consistent in putting the law of 

 priority in force. At least four names were suggested for this 

 genus before Lamarck's name of 1819. If objection be taken 

 to Patrick Browne's work, as he did not actually name a species 

 in connection with Margaritifera, but referred to plates and figures 

 in earlier works as indicating what he meant, then Unionium, 

 Link, is available, the type of which is, very clearly, Mytilus 

 margaritiferus, Linnaeus. But, seeing that Linnaeus ' had inter- 

 preted the plates and figures alluded to, we are not left in doubt 

 concerning the appellation of the shells represented, and the name 

 Margaritifera is, therefore, here adopted. 



2'ype. — Mijtilus margaritiferus, Linnteus. 



Margaritifera crassicardia, Tate (sp.). 



1886. Meleagrina crassicardia, Tate, Trans. Roy. Soc. South Aust. vol. viii. 



p. 121, pi. is. figs. 9, 10. 

 1889. Meleagrina crassicardia, Dennant, id. vol. xi. p. 49. 



1 Syst. Nat. ed. 1768, p. 704. 



