570 REPORT— 1863. 



. longer, and in the purple coloui*. This, however, in the figured speci- 

 men, has been brouglit-out by the free use of acid, and the markings have 

 been considerably obliterated by the "beautifying" process.] 

 44, Venus shnillima, Sby. San Diego, Cal. " Resembles V. compta in detail of 

 sculpture " [but perfectly distinct, belonging to the aniathusia group. 

 It shows the e^'il of the very brief diagnoses of the earlier conchologists 

 that so discriminating an author as Mr. Conrad should have taken this 

 shell for the V. Californiensi<, Brod. ; and, quoting it (lapsu) as V. Cali- 

 fonuami, redescribed the true V. Califoriiiensis as V. Nuttallii. It is 

 known by the great closeness of the fine sharp ribs.] 



46. Venus = creiitil(i((i, no. 33, very distinct var. Gulf Cal. ; more globose, interior 



purple rose. [This was sent as " Cape St. Lucas, Xantus." It appears 

 truly distinct from the ^^^ I. crenulata, and to be the normal form 

 of whicli pulicaria, no. 26, is an extreme var. Inside, and outside iu 

 the adolescent state, they agree exactly; differing outside, in the adult, 

 in smoothed-oft'ribs and more distinct V -markings. Mr. Reeve, however, 

 still thinks it more like crenifera. It may stand as " ? vai*. lilitcina.''^'\ 



47. Venus f/ibbosuki, Desh., MS. in Mus. Cmn. Hab. ? — [Guarmas := V. Cnrteziy 



Sloat. This is the more rounded and porcellanous form of V-fiuctifracja, 

 = V. NuttaUi of Brit. Assoc. Report, and Nuttallian paper in P. Z. S. 

 1856, p. 21 ; but not the true V. NiittalU, Conr., v. infrciy no. 49. Interior 

 margin very finely crenated on both sides of the hinge.] 



48. Venus compta, Brod. Bay of Sechura, Peru, coarse sand and mud, 7 fnis., 



Cuminff. [This rare species seems to represent V. Californt'oisis in the 

 South Ameiican fauna. It is well distinguished by its shouldered form, 

 produced ventrally, and by the Circoid pallial line, far removed from the 

 margin. Guacomayo, Mus. Smiths.] 



49. Venus NuttaUi, Conr. California. [Named from type, teste Conr. ips., v. 



antea, p. 52(5. This is the dull northern fonn of V. succincia, as fucti- 

 fraga is oi (jibbosula, the species appearing nearly in the same parallels in 

 the Gulf and on the Pacific coast, but not found in the Liverpool Reigea 

 Col. ; nor at Cape St. Lucas. In all essential characters, NultalU {Xhow^h. 

 pointed) and CaUforniensis (though rounded) appear the same ; but Mr. 

 Reeve still thinks otherwise. The figured specimen has been altered with 

 acid. The V. excavata is not noticed by Mr. R.] 



61. Venus mundulus, Rve. Hub. ?— [This shell was obtained by Dr. Stimpson 



in the N. P. Expl. Exp., and bears the Smiths. Cat. number " 1845. San 

 Francisco, very common at low water," = TV/yjcs diversa, Sby. jun. This 

 is the highly painted, finely sculptured state of T. statninea, Conr. (not 

 " 7'. strnminea, Conr." Sby.,= T. grata, var.) The abnormally ridged form 

 is V. ruderata, Desh. Couch. Ic. sp. 130. By its large pallial sinus and 

 bifid teeth it is a true Tapes.^ 



62. Venus interseeta, Sby. Puerto Puero [FPortrero], Centr. Am., Cuming. 



[The shell is exactly identical with no. 19, asperrima = cardioides ; but the 

 figure might mislead, the colour-lines appearing as ribs.] 



64. Venus suhrostrata. Lam. * vi. p. 343, = V. neglecta, [Gray] Sby. Hub. Mazatlan 

 and West Indies. " Lam. having cited a figure of the China species, V. La- 

 marckii, the species was lost sight of till Sby. i-enamed it." [TheZawirt/v^- 

 ian species was probably West Indian. V. neglecta closely resembles 

 the young of V. CaUforniensis, but has the ligamental area smooth only 

 on one valve, instead of both.] 



69. Venus Stutchburyi (Gray), Wood, Sandwich Is. Comes very near to the 

 Californian V. callosa, [Sby., non] Conr., of which specimens have been 

 found also at the Sandwich Is. [_V. Stutchburyi is ^he New Zealand 

 species, which may easily be confounded with the Californian. Although 

 both may be obtained at the Sandwich Is., there is no evidence that either 



* In critical species, when it is impossible to be positive which of two or more was 

 intended by an old author, it appears best to retain the name of the first discriminator. 

 The old name belong;* to the general form : the discriminator ought to retain it lor a 

 part; but if that has not been done, it avoids confusion to di'op it. 



56 



