ASTARTE. 455 



similarly shelving, but narrower, simple tooth, diverges on 

 either side of the receptional cavity for the opposite tooth. 

 The elevation of the outer sides of the dental pits, in 

 the right valve, at times induces the surmise of there being 

 three teeth in one valve. 



The size of the largest of the very numerous examples 

 which have furnished the materials for our description, is 

 an inch and three-eighths in length, by an inch and 

 one-eighth in breadth. With regard to crenation of edge, a 

 character which is typically proper to this species, it is 

 absent from immature shells, and such as have the edo-es 

 acute from a new costa being scarcely or not yet com- 

 menced ; almost all which terminate ventrally in a fully- 

 formed rib have the margin thick and beaded. 



The animal is more or less tinged with flesh-colour. The 

 mantle is freely open in front, plain at the margins, and 

 bordered by a narrow belt of orange. The siphonal open- 

 ings are quite sessile, and but slightly separated from each 

 other ; their edges are plain, and, like the mantle, bor- 

 dered with orange. The foot is linguiform, not large in 

 proportion to the shell, and of a pale flesh or fawn colour. 

 The visceral mass is variegated with bright rose colour and 

 dusky green, the former hue appertaining to the reproduc- 

 tive organs, the latter to the liver. The branchire are of a 

 pale yellowish hue. The labial palps are rather large, of a 

 lanceolato-triangular shape, strongly striated externally, 

 and of a pale tawny colour. Its habits are sluggish. 



Astarte Danmoniensis received its name from the coast of 

 Devon where, however, though not unfrequently procured 

 by trawlers, it is not nearly so common as in numerous 

 other localities. It is very generally distributed round our 

 coast, living in muddy sand, at various depths, from eight 

 to eighty fathoms. On the south coast of England, Devon 



