82 PATELLA. 



There is no warrant whatever for the use of the name " contoso- 

 plicata Martini " for this shell. There is not the slightest pretension 

 to or attempt at binomialism or the use of generic names in the first 

 volume of Martini. 



De Gregorio has described the following varieties : sitta, imperat- 

 ovia, percostata, jicarazzensis (Bull. Soc. Mai. Ital. x. p. 120, 124.) 



P. VULGATA Linne. PI. 10, figs. 1-6. 



Shell solid, oval, conical, the apex a little in front of the middle ; 

 slopes nearly straight; surface sculptured by numerous radiating 

 ribs (often subobsolete), the spaces between the ribs having radiating 

 striae. Color varying from whitish to pink, yellow, slate, olive, or 

 black, the ribs generally lighter. 



Interior somewhat opalescent in dark specimens, usually yellow- 

 ish and showing faint rays around the edge, the central area varying 

 from white to dark-brown. Length 44, breadth 37, alt. 17 mill. 



Lofoten Is., Norioay, to Spain. 



P. vulgata L., Syst. Nat. xii, p. 1258. — Forbes & Hanley, Hist. 

 Brit. Moll, ii, p. 421, t. 61, f. 5, 6.— Jeffreys, Brit. Conch, iii, p. 

 236 ; V, t. 57, f. 1-4 (with varr. elevata, pida, intermedia, depressa, 

 ccerulea).— Hid AUiO, Mol. Mar. Esp. t. 52, f. 1-8 ; t. 53, f. 7, 8.— 

 Dall, Amer. Journ. Conch, vi, p. 268, t. 15, f. 23 (anatomy). — 

 Sars, Moll. Reg. Arct. Norv., p. 118, t. ii, f. 7a. 7b. (dentition). — 

 Harvey, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb. xxxii, pt. 3, p. 601-636, 1885 

 (anatomy and histology). — ? P. radiata Perry, Conch., t. 43, f. 1. 



The common Patella of northern Europe is the typical vulgata of 

 Linne. It is more elevated than the Mediterranean shells, but some 

 specimens of the latter can scarcely be separated specifically. The 

 species is excessively variable : The forms recognized by Jeffreys 

 occurring on the English coast are as follows : 



Form elevata Jefl^r. Much smaller, rounder and higher. 



Form picta. Smaller and thinner ; with alternate rays of reddish 

 and dark blue. 



Form intermedia Knapp. Smaller, flatter and oval, with finer 

 ribs and an orange crown ; inside golden-yellow or tinged with flesh- 

 color (occasionally cream-color) in the center, and beautifully rayed 

 toward the margins (Ann. Mag. N. H. xix, 1857, p. 211). 



Form depressa Pennant (pi. 11, figs. 24, 25, 26). Much depressed, 

 more oblong than the usual form ; ribs finer but sharp ; apex more 

 anterior ; inside porcellanous with a pale orange head scar or 



