SPONDYLUS. 25 



genus that has spines. The brown Venus, V. 

 chione, is very smooth and polished; both 

 species are frequent in collections. The British 

 shells of this genus are neither numerous nor 

 very beautiful. 



" Spondylus. Valves unequal, rough ; hinge 

 with two recurved teeth, with a hollow between 

 them ; shell sometimes eared. (See Plates 4 

 and 5.) 



" I think," said Lucy, "that the English name, 

 thorny oyster, is not very suitable : it is more like 

 a scallop ; but it differs from both in having two 

 strong teeth in the hinge, and I observed this 

 morning that neither the oyster nor the scallop 

 have any hinge." 



" So that was the object you had in view," 

 said Charles, " when you were so quietly handling 

 those shells in the kitchen : I confess I could 

 hardly help laughing ; and now my father will 

 say that you are ' Eyes^' and I the * No Eyes^' of 

 * Evenings at Home.' " 



" Perhaps I might have made the observation," 

 replied Mr. Elliot ; " but you have reproved your- 

 self, which is far better. 



" Spondylus can scarcely be mistaken from 

 any other bivalve shell. The si^ecies gcedaropiis 

 is remarkable for its projecting beak ; the surface 

 is rough, with either tubercles or spines. Some 

 authors reckon only four species, others thirteen. 



c 



