TJic Marine Mollusca of Bombay. 45 



Fam. VENERID.E. 



Meretrix (Lam). 

 M. inorpJiina (Lam.) 



b. Var. castaiiea (Lam.). 



c. N?iX. petechialis (Lam.). 



d. Var. inipudica (Lam.). 



Very common, and our range of specimens show these 



forms merging into each other, though usually considered 



distinct species. 



Circe (Schum.). 



C. divaricata (Chem.). 



Very common amongst muddy stones. 



Merge (Schum.). 



M. effossa (Hanley). 



M. Solandri (Gray). 



M. hians {V^ood) = 8ola7idrz. 



M. contempta {Smith) = So/andri. 



M. effossa is very common in sand. Solandri also very 

 common, and it is a' question whether there are more than 

 these two species at Bombay. From an examination of a 

 large quantity of perfect specimens, we come to the con- 

 clusion that hians and contempta are only Solandri in various 

 younger stages of growth. 



DosiNiA (Scopoli). 



D. pubescens (Phil.). 

 D. gibba (Adams). 

 D. riistica (Romer). 

 D. prostrata (Linn.). 



D. ptibescens is fairly common in all stages of growth. 

 Young specimens are nearly circular, silky in appearance, 

 and often tinged with pink ; in the older forms the beak 

 becomes more prominent, and shell somewhat elongated. 

 Rtistica is somewhat closely allied in form, but is rougher 

 and more chalky in texture. D. prostrata is easily known 

 by its light brown and slate-coloured tinge, and is only 

 found during seasons of rough weather. 



