174 VENUS. 



a few antiquated concentric ridges, in other respects smooth : 

 umbo central, remarkably prominent, and turned a little to one 

 side ; each side sloping nearly equal, and forming the um- 

 bonal regions into an acute angle ; under the beak a lanceo- 

 late-cordiform depression. Inside smooth ; hinge very strong 

 in proportion, furnished in one valve with two strong teeth, 

 one running backwards, parallel with the cartilage slope, 

 bifid or divided longitudinally ; the other is triangular, and 

 near it, running parallel with the cordiform depression, is a 

 strong lateral lamina of a semi-lunar shape, the convexity 

 inwards, and a deep groove between that and the margin : 

 the other valve is possessed of three teeth, two of which 

 greatlv diverge, in order to admit the triangular tooth of the 

 opposite valve between them, and a lateral tooth which locks 

 in between that and the marginal edge ; the margins are 

 plain. Length half an inch, breadth nearly the same." 



malabarica. 36. Shell somewhat heart-shaped, 

 oblong, densely striated transversely; ante- 

 rior impression broad and ovate, and the 

 posterior cordiform. 



Venus Malabaricus. Chemnitz, vi. p. 323. t. 31. f. 324 



and 325. 

 Venus Gallus. Gmelin, p. 3277. 

 Venus, No. 14. Schroeter Einl. iii. p. 159- 

 Martgn, Univ. Conch, t. 131. right hand fig. 



Inhabits the coasts of Malabar. Chemnitz. 



Shell about an inch and a half long, and rather more than two 

 inches broad; young shells are cinereous, and older ones 

 yellowish, with four darker longitudinal rays. Kaemmerer 

 considered this shell to be a Variety of V. rotundata. 



flammea. 37. Shell somewhat heart-shaped, trans- 

 versely striated, and the back glabrous ; an- 

 terior depression very broad, and the poste- 

 rior heart-shaped. 



Venus flammea. Gmelin, p. 3278. 



Venus, No. 145 and 146. Schroeter Einl. iii. p. 200. t. 8. 

 f. 12. 



Inhabits the Red Sea. Schroeter. 



This shell appeals by Schtoeter's figure to be about an inch 

 long, and fourteen lines broad, and is said to be very nearly 

 allied to V . Malabarica, but is bluish and more gibbous 

 towards the umbones ; the colour is white, variegated with 



