No. 6. TELLINA. 

 Bent Wedge. Inhabitant a Tethys. 



The Tellinae are usually found buried in sand or gravel, on the sea shores, 

 and some kinds in rivers or ditches. Among all the genera of bivalves, there 

 are none except the Venus, which can vie with the Tellinae, in elegance of 

 form, brilliancy of color, or delicacy of structure. 



The body is detached, oblong, fleshy, without peduncles, mouth furnished 

 with a terminal, cylindrical proboscis, under an expanded membrane or lip, 

 apertures, two on the left side of the neck, shell bivalve, generally sloping on 

 one side, in the fore part of one valve, a convex of the other, a concave 

 fold, hinge with usually three teeth, the lateral ones smooth in one shell. 

 The Tellinae, as now defined, consists of those orbicular bivalve shells or 

 transverse, having a regular fold or wrinkle at the anterior end of the shell, 

 with one or two teeth pointed to the beak, and remote lateral teeth. 



It is difficult to beginners in the science of Conchology to discriminate 

 between the genera Tellinae and Venus. The difference will best be learnt 

 by observing principally the inclination of the beaks: if they at all tend to- 

 wards the ligament, the shell will belong to the genus Tellina; also, if any 

 remote, lateral teeth be discernible, if the anterior slope be compressed into 

 an acute, wedge-shaped form, or if it be crooked. 



The word TeXav from which Tellina is derived, signifies to arrive quickly 

 at maturity. Of this genus, there are 81 species, and three divisions. 



DIVISION I. Ovate and thickish. 



Scientific name. 



Gargadia, 



Rugosa, 



Lingua Felis, 



Marginalis, 



Virgata, 



Interrupta, 



Angulata, 



Inflata, 



Polygona, 



Locality. 

 Indian Ocean, 

 Otaheite, W. I. Seas, 

 Indian Ocean, 

 Coast of China, 

 Amboyna, Ceylon, 

 Bay of Naples, 



West India Islands, 

 Tranquebar, 



do. Naples, 



Scientific name. 

 Lacunosa, 

 Gibbosa, 

 Gari, 



Ferroensis, 



Fragilis, 



Obliqua, 



Locality. 

 Coast of Guinea, 



Amboyna, Molucca Isles, 



China. 

 Britain, Ferroe Isles, 



Norway, 

 Eu. Ocean, Caspian Sea 



and Mediterranean, 



