376 MACTRIDJ5. 



five inches in length and two inches and a quarter in 

 breadth : specimens of such magnitude, however, are but 

 rarely met with. 



However abundant, or rather diffused, in other jjarts of 

 Europe, this bivalve is justly esteemed by our shell 

 collectors as one of our less frequent native species. 

 Nevertheless, it is recorded by Montagu as not uncommon 

 in the river between Truro and Falmouth (in the recent 

 Cornish Fauna by Mr. Couch, it is termed " rare or 

 local"), and as frequently brought up with sea-sand, for 

 manure, to the former place. It is occasionally obtained 

 at Exmouth (Clark) ; Torbay (Jeff, cab.) ; and in Sal- 

 combe Bay (Alder) ; the Dorset coast (Pulteney) ; dead 

 valves in twenty-five fathoms, Penzance Bay (M'Andrew 

 and E. F.). A few specimens were dug out of sandy mud 

 near low-water mark at the little islet of Herm, near 

 Guernsey (S. H.) ; they are sometimes taken at Fish- 

 guard, and Caldy Island in Pembrokeshire (Lyons) ; and 

 appear not unfrequent in Ireland, being found " in suitable 

 places on each side of the coast" (Thompson). 



