43 



GRYPH^A siiwata. 

 TAB. CCCXXXVI. 



Spec. Char. Subovbiciilar ; one side cimei- 

 form ; beaks very small, laterally incurved; 

 one valve convex, subcarinated ; the other 

 nearly flat, with a sinus above the angle of 

 the cuneiform side; hinge pit marginal, 

 long, narrow and curved. 



The bilobate form of the deeper valve, marks this siiell 

 as a Gryphaea, Avhile its incurved, aUliough small beaks, 

 help to distinguish it further from Ostrea. The sinus 

 between the beaks, and the angle of the cuneiform side is 

 not very deep, and in the adult shell is nearly obliterated 

 in the margin, but it is easily recognized by the lines of 

 growth upon the surface near the beaks ; when the spe- 

 cimen is not in a state to exhibit this character, the form 

 of the hinge may help to discover the species. 



This gigantic Gryphite grows half as long again as the 

 figure. It seems to be peculiar to the Iron Sand Form- 

 ation ; it is found near Ashford, and upon the high range 

 of hills bounding Romney Marsh, five miles iVom Ilythe 

 in Kent, as I learn by specimens sent me by A. Power, 

 and II. Walker, Esqrs of that County. I have also a 

 lar"-e rather elongvited specimen with remarkable biiobed 



