208 VENUS. 



Venus edulis Var. Chemnitz, vii. p. 60. t. 43. f. 458. 

 Venus, No. 78. Schroeter Mini. iii. p. 179- 

 Lister Conch, t. 404. f. 249. Gualter, t. 85. f. I. 



Inhabits the coasts of Britain. Lister, fyc. 



Shell about an inch long, and an inch and three-eighths broad, 

 but the shape is variable, and the length is sometimes almost 

 equal to the breadth ; it is distinctly, though minutely striated 

 transversely, and the longitudinal striae are so faint, as to be 

 hardly discernible without a glass. Mr. Montagu says, the 

 colour is various, " sometimes white, elegantly marked with 

 brown, or bluish black zic-zac lines, or mottled with cine- 

 reous ; others are plain brown, frequently of a yellow tinge, 

 and sometimes deep ferruginous about the umbo." The striae 

 are much finer, and the margin more rounded than in V. vir- 

 ginea. 



monstrosa. 113. Shell oval, with decussated striae, 

 and one valve larger than the other. 



Venus monstrosa. Chemnitz, vii. p. 50. t. 42. f. 445 and 



440. Gmelin, p. 3280. 

 Venus, No. 50. Schroeter Einl. iii. p. 173. 



Inhabits the coasts of the Nicobar Islands. Chemnitz. 



Shell about three quarters of an inch long, and an inch and a 

 quarter broad, but the right valve is larger, and extends 

 over the whole margin of the other ; the colour is dirty 

 white, and the inside spotted with purple ; the hinge has two 

 teeth in one valve, and three in the other. 



