27r> TELLINID^. 



and about seven-eighths of an inch in breadth, may be 

 considered as of the full ordinary size, the majority of ex- 

 amples being of rather less dimensions. A very beautiful 

 rayless variety of a rich maroon colour is preserved, with- 

 out a locality, in the collection of Mr. Hanley ; we are not 

 aware, however, that any such have hitherto been taken in 

 this country. 



The animal of Psammobia Ferroensis is white, like its 

 congeners, and differs but little in form from that of the 

 last species. The tubes are long and rather more slen- 

 der ; their extremities are finely fimbriated, especially that 

 of the branchial tube. The foot is very large, strong, and 

 fleshy, linguiform and apiculated. The branchlse are of a 

 reddish hue. 



This species is well known all round our shores, and 

 is not unfrequeutly cast on shore after storms. On the 

 south coast it occurs at Torquay and elsewhere in Devon- 

 shire (S. H.) ; at Poole, in Dorsetshire, where it was first 

 noticed by Pulteney (E. F.). On the west, at Tenby 

 (Lyons) ; Oxwich Bay and St. David's (Jeffreys) ; An- 

 glesea (M'Andrews) ; Isle of Man (E. F.). On the east, 

 it is plentiful at Scarborough (Bean) ; and on the coast 

 of Northumberland (Alder). In Ireland it is generally 

 distributed along both east and west coasts. In Scotland 

 it is frequent in the Clyde (Smith) ; Hebrides (Jeffreys) ; 

 Orkney and Zetland (M'Andrew) ; Moray Frith (M'An- 

 drew) ; Aberdeenshire (Macgillivray) ; Firth of Forth 

 (E. F.) It ranges on our shores from three fathoms to as 

 deep as ninety. The coralline zone appears to be its 

 favourite locality. 



It ranges throughout the European seas, but becomes 

 scarcer as we proceed southwards. As a fossil it is found 

 in tertiaries of Meiocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene ages. 



