150 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSKS. 



me from the Mediterranean are the same as those found 

 on our coasts, both as to size and colouring, but this is 

 not the case with some of our other bivalves, — the Iso- 

 cardia cor, for instance, attaining to a larger size with 

 us than it does in the south of Europe. 



Messrs. Forbes and Hanley give the following loca- 

 lities for Cytherea Chione : — Plymouth, Teignmouth, 

 ]\lount's Bay (Jeffreys), and other parts of the coast of 

 Cornwall. 



To Cook Venus verrucosa. — Boil them, after first 

 washing the shells well to free them from sand and mud. 

 then fry them for a few minutes in a frying-pan, with a 

 little butter or lard, adding pepper and salt according to 

 taste. 



Fam. TELLIN1DJE. 

 PSAMMOBIA. 



Psammobia vespertina, Chemnitz. The Setting 

 Sun. — Shell of an oblong oval shape, equivalve, rather 

 flattened, opaque ; colour whitish, shading to a reddish- 

 vellow at the beaks, with radiating ravs of carmine and 

 purplish-pink; epidermis of an olivaceous brown ; liga- 

 ment external, prominent, and of a horn-colour; beaks 

 small ; teeth, two in each valve ; in the left valve, one 

 tooth bifid. 



The Tellinidm are but rarely used for food in this 

 country, though several kinds are used for that purpose 

 abroad. With us, the Psammobia vespertina is stated 

 by Mr. Jeffreys* to be eaten by the peasantry at Ken- 

 mare, and heaps of their shells may be seen round the 

 huts. 



* ' British Conchology,' vol. ii. p. 400. 



