Qapers, Piddocks, and Ship-zvorms i 5 5 



strengtliens the doubt as to the specitic distinctness 

 of elliiotica and ohlonga. 



The points by which the Oblong Otter-shell (L. 

 obloiuja) is distinguished from the foregoing are : the 

 shape of the shell is more slender, with an upward 

 curve behind, not quite so flat, more solid ; the front 

 cardinal tooth of the right valve is double, the only 

 lateral is on the fore-part of the left valve. Its 

 habits are the same as those of the foregoing, but 

 it is of more local occurrence, and appears to 

 be a more strictly southern form. Its longest 

 measurement rarely exceeds 4 inches, but sometimes 

 reaches 5 inches. Both species are subject, from 



Smooth Short Razor 



their attitude, to be annoyed by grains of sand 

 slipping between the mantle and the shell. These 

 have to be cemented over and left as evidence by 

 which the collector may know of their trouble. 



We now reach the Razor-shell family, characterised 

 by having the valves of the shell of equal length, 

 long and narrow, gaping at both ends. The animal 

 has a large and powerful foot of a more or less 

 cylindrical shape. 



The Short Razor-shell (Solecurfus scopula) is of 

 an elliptical shape, convex, with a central depression, 

 crossed by a large number of overlapping low ribs, 

 some of which radiate from the beaks to the front 



