ASTARTE. 467 



plional orifices, and a white linguiform foot. The length 

 or breadth of the shell rarely exceeds half an inch, and the 

 average size of specimens is much less. It is obtained (the 

 smooth variety) at Scarborough (Bean) ; and is not un- 

 commonly dredged on the Northumbrian coast (Alder) ; in 

 the mid-channel opposite Hampshire (Damon) ; Bantry 

 Bay (Dilhvyn). On the coast of Scotland it is much more 

 abundant, occurring not uncommonly in the Hebrides and 

 the lochs of the west coast. Mr. M'Andrew has dredged 

 it in forty fathoms, muddy bottom off Skye, and as deep 

 as seventy fathoms in the Zetland seas, where both smooth 

 and ribbed forms are found, as also in the Moray Firth, in 

 from eight to forty fathoms. In the Frith of Forth it is 

 not rare on the oyster banks in seven to fourteen fathoms 

 (E. F.). It is a Norwegian as well as British species, and 

 is a common pleistocene fossil. 



Crassina striata of Nilsson in the " Nova Acta Holmise"" 

 1822, p. 189, pi. 2, f. 6, is probably this species; but the 

 rudeness of the figure, and the brevity of the diagnosis, for- 

 bid our positively asserting so. The Nicania striata of 

 Leach (Hani. Recent Shells, suppl. pi. 14, f. 38), so im- 

 perfectly described in the Appendix to Ross's voyage, may 

 possibly prove also identical, but is much less angular in 

 outline, &c. 



A. TRIANGULARIS, MoutagU. 



Very small, obliquely triangular, broader than long, quite 

 smooth, typically crenated at the ventral margin ; beaks ex- 

 tremely prominent ; no dorsal impressions. 



Plate XXX. fig. 4, 5. 



Mactra triangularis^ Mont. Test. Brit. p. Q9, pi. 3,f. 5. — Maton and Rackett, 

 Linn. Trans, vol. viii. p. 72. — Turt. Conch. Diction, p. 

 82. — DiLLW. Recent Shells, vol. i. p. 143. — Index Tes- 

 taceol. pi. 6, Mactra, f. 28. 



