42 THE MOLLUSCA OF THE FIRTH OF CLYDE. 
CorBULA, Bruguiere. 
* Corbula gibba, Olvi. 
Tellina gibba, Olivi ; Mya inzequivalvis, Montagu ; Corbula 
nucleus, Lamarck ; Corbula striata, Fleming. 
Habitat—In muddy gravel, § to 25 fathoms; gregarious 
and rather common. It is plentiful on Bogany Point and 
along the Craigmore and Ascog shore in Bute; and outside 
the Tan Spit, Cumbrae; also in Loch Fyne, off Silvercraigs. 
Mr. Norman has taken it in Lamlash Bay, but considers it 
rather scarce. The shells of these molluscs seem to give 
considerable trouble to such carnivorous enemies as attempt 
to pierce them, more than half of the specimens obtained show 
unfinished borings which have been abandoned in disgust at 
the hardness of the shell; this is, of course, no protection 
from haddocks and cod, which swallow the Corbule wholesale. 
British distribution.—On all our coasts; gregarious and 
common, generally frequenting water of 10 to 12 fathoms. 
Foreign localities—From Norway (Lovén and others), 
throughout the western coasts of Europe and as far as 
Mogador and the Canaries (J/‘d ndrew), Mediterranean and 
fivean (Forbes and others), Sea of Marmora (Spratt). 
Famity Myipa, Fleming. 
Mya, Linné. 
* Mya arenaria, Linné. 
Chama arenaria, Da Costa. 
Habitat—At and below low water mark of neap tides, in 
gravelly sand and clay; very common all round Rothesay 
and Kamesburgh Bays in bute, and more or less common 
throughout the Clyde district. I have never found this 
species below low water mark of spring tides. 
Our fishermen use large quantities for bait, but seldom 
for the table. Abroad it has a much greater economic value 
than with us, being eaten throughott all the northern parts 
of both hemispheres. “Clam bake” is a well-known dish 
in the north-eastern States, where, according to Gould’s 
report on “ Noxious and Valuable Animals,” the supply of 
these Myze is inexhaustible. At the time Gould wrote (1841) 
the yearly value of “clams,” salted for bait for the Bank 
fishery, was not less than 30,000 dols. 
British distribution.—Throughout our seas, but somewhat 
