38 THE MOLLUSCA OF THE FIRTH OF CLYDE. 
and cockle ; but their bodies, being little else than a gigantic 
foot, usually remain somewhat hard. 
The popular name, which includes S. ensis and 8. siliqua, 
is “Spoutfish.” They are chiefly. obtained in spring when 
very low tides prevail, and are then taken in large quantities 
and sold at so much per score of “ casts,” each “cast” being 
three shellfish. Much dexterity is required in snatching 
them from their sandy burrows with the naked hand, a 
novice usually leaving most of the animal behind and secur- 
ing only the shell and mantle. A wooden instrument, called 
a “spud,” is sometimes used instead of the unarmed fingers; 
but this is accounted infra dig. by the adepts. 
British distribution.—Every where in suitable situations, 
2.€, in extensive bays and flats of clean sand. 
Foreign localities.—“ Behring’s Straits, the north-east 
coast of America, Faroe Islands, and all the intermediate 
shores to the Algean, including the African side of the 
Mediterranean” (Jeff. Brit. Con.). 
FAMILY PANDORIDA, Gray. 
LyonstA, Turton. 
Lyonsia Norvegica, Chemnitz. 
Mya Norvegica, Chemnitz; Mya nitida, Fabricius; Mya 
striata, Montagu; Amphidesma corbuloides, Lamarck ; 
Osteodesma corbuloides, Deshayes. 
Habitat—tIn sand and nullipore, in 8 to 20 fathoms; not 
scarce. I have taken fine specimens on Tan Spit, Cumbrae, 
in about § fathoms, off the buoy; also on the rough bank 
outside the Spit, in 15 to 20 fathoms. On Bogany Point 
and off Craigmore, in Bute, this species is not uncommon, 
but not so large. My best specimen (from the Tan Spit) 
measures + inch long by 1} broad. Single valves exceeding 
these dimensions sometimes occur. 
British distribution —Sparingly distributed over all our 
coasts, and somewhat local. It does not oceur in Dr. 
M‘Intosh’s extensive list from St. Andrews, and is reported 
as scarce by Alder on the Northumberland and Durham 
coasts. In the western and southern waters it appears to 
be of more frequent occurrence. 
Foreign localities —Norway (Lovén),Spain, Mediterranean 
Sea, and Madeira (M‘Andrew). The shell from Labrador 
and other North American stations, which is usually referred 
to the present species, is the Lyonsia arenosa of Moller. 
