BIVALVES. TELLINA, 29 



TELLTNA.-Tellen. 



Animal — a Teth/s: Shell bivalve, fjfmeralhf sloping on 

 one side: in the fore part of one valve there is a convex, 

 and in the other, a concave fold ; hinr/e with usually three 

 teeth, the lateral ones smooth in one valve. 



Amongst all the different genera of Bivalves, there are 

 none, except the Venus, which can \ie with the Tellinae 

 in point of beauty, variety, or number, which amounts 

 to no less than ninety-four species: and wliether the 

 attention be directed to their elegance of form, bril- 

 liancy of color, or delicacy of structure, the eye is equally 

 astonished and delighted with the infinity of beauties 

 which incessantly crowd on the sense. Yet, amidst this 

 display of beauty and magnificence, considerable relief 

 is derived from the modest unassuming appearance of 

 several of the more subordinate and common species. 

 The usual form of the Tellina is something resembling a 

 long pear, being broad at one end, and gradually taper- 

 ing to the other; in some cases so nuich so, that the 

 pointed termination of the shell forms a perfect beak 

 or proboscis, as is the case in the Tellina rostrata, vir- 

 gata, &c. &c. &c. Others, on the contrary, are more of 

 an orbicular, or spherical form, as the Tellina scobitina, 

 &c. and some again, as the Tellina radiata, &c. &c. 

 are nearly allied to species of the Solen genus, with 

 Avhich (from their near resemblance) they are sometimes 

 confounded; however, from the general propensity of 

 all Telliute to terminate in a more or less acute beak, 

 much inaccuracy cannot well be committed. At the 

 same time, the hinge of the Tellina v. ill remove anv 



