OSTREA. 1138 
mised that it might be perchance identical with his Pecten 
inflatus ; succeeding writers have reiterated the hypothetical 
recognition, with still less hesitation. In Sowerby’s Mono- 
graph of Zima the statement is repeated, and the existence of a 
specimen in the Linnean collection is mentioned in confirma- 
tion. But our author has not mentioned the species in either 
catalogue of the contents of his cabinet, and the example 
present, one of those that were incautiously mixed with the 
original types, was collected by Lord Valentia, as is evidenced 
by his name written in the interior: moreover, as Chemnitz 
remarks, the inflata is ventricose, a directly opposed feature 
to the ‘‘ valvule—parum convex” (M. U.) of fasciata, and the 
“striis scabris 30 et pluribus” of that shell by no means in 
harmony with the expression “radii 20” (M.U.). This deter- 
mination cannot, therefore, be assented to. 
Born has likewise selected, for the O. fasciata, a Lima, 
which seems to agree much better, having only twenty rays; 
the valves, however, are called convex, and, judging from the 
figure, are very decidedly so: his engraving does not cor- 
respond to any in the late Monograph by Sowerby, nor pre- 
cisely with any specimen I have myself examined. 
Of the Lime delineated in the ‘ Thesaurus’ that termed 
fragilis approaches nearest to the ideal I should form of the 
Linnean shell; but, under all circumstances, it is better, unless 
the type in the Dronningen Museum should be still preserved, 
and prove an unknown species, to expunge this imperfectly 
defined Ostred from our catalogues, or cite it with a “ pro- 
bably” attached, for the species thus designated in Born’s 
‘ Testacea.’ 
Even the younger Linné could not ascertain what bivalve 
was intended by his father, but has referred it, with a note 
of interrogation appended, to a shell described by a later 
writer. 
Ostrea lta, 
In the box thus marked in the Linnean cabinet is still 
preserved the Lima squamosa of authors (Sow. Thes. Conch. 
vol.i. Lima, f.1). All the figures cited by Linnzus are usually 
Q 
