72 



fossil ones are numerous in the Tertiary strata ; two 

 are found in the Eocene strata of Alabama, and five 

 in the Pliocene of Virginia and Maryland. 



ASTARTE CASTANEA. 

 Tab. XVII, ^^.3. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Shell suborbicular or subtriangular, thick ; beaks 

 prominent and nearly central ; lunule excavated, 

 lanceolate ; surface with minute concentric wrinkles 

 and larger undulations ; epidermis chestnut brown ; 

 inner margin regularly crenulated. 



SYNONYMES. 



Venus castanea, Say, Journ. Acad. JVat. Science, 



vol. 4, p. 273. 

 AsTARTE CASTANEA, Say, American CoHch. pi. 1. 



observations. 



Common on the coasts of New Jersey and Rhode 

 Island. It is nearly allied to A. danmoniensis, but 

 we agree with Say in considering it a distinct species. 



