ANODONTA. 151 
Genus.—ANODONTA Lamarck. 
The members of this genus are almost toothless, as the name 
implies. 
I. A. CYGNEA ( [eaten by] swans) Linné. Pl. VIIL, f. 1. 
Oblong, swollen, thin, brown or greenish; well marked by lines 
of growth; /égament long and parallel to the lower margin. L. 2°75 
itis. don 5.5 Shin: 
The ‘Swan Mussel’ is found in great abundance in 
slow rivers, ponds, lakes, and canals, as far north as Elgin; 
in Wales and locally.in Ireland. 
It is the largest of our freshwater mussels, attaining an 
average breadth of over five inches. Again quoting Mr. 
Tye’s article mentioned under U. tumidus and U. picto- 
rum, we find “two fine specimens of A. cygvea, taken at 
Worthing, of the following dimensions: length 44 in., 
breaditn 7, 1m.; length 5 in., breadth 8 in.” But the 
largest British specimens known, were taken by Mr. W. 
H. Heathcote, near Preston, the largest measured g in. in 
breadth, 44 in. in length, and 3+ in. in thickness; the 
greater number found on that occasion were more than 
8 in. in breadth. 
Should the scoop be too small, or the water too deep 
for the length of the stick, or in the absence of both, it 
will be found a good plan to get a withy and cut one end 
in the shape of a pointed knife blade ; this may be pushed 
into the open mouth of the mussel, which will close 
