ASTARTE. 461 



shores to the coast of Scotland, where we have often taken 

 it, mixed with sulcata, but in far less abundance. It 

 is, however, not uncommon in mud at from five to ten 

 fathoms in depth, and has been dredged at Oban, Loch 

 Carron, Ullapool, Lerwick, Loch Gair, Stornoway, and 

 Skye, (M'Andrew, Jeffreys, and Barlee.) It was first 

 " discovered near Helensburgh, mouth of the Clyde, by H. 

 Witham, Esq., where it appears to be not uncommon." 

 (Brown.) The earlier specimens which found their way 

 into collections, were chiefly collected by Mr. W. Nicol, and 

 distributed under the MS. name of Gairensis. It ranges 

 from ten to forty fathoms, usually on a muddy bottom. It 

 occurs also on the north-east coast of Scotland (Macgil- 

 livray), where it has been dredged by Lieut. Thomas in 

 thirty-five fathoms water. Mr. Alder states that the 

 Ilev. G. C. Abbes has met with valves evidently recent on 

 the coast of Northumberland. It ranges to the shores of 

 Finmark and Greenland, and is one of the most abundant 

 of pleistocene fossils. 



A. ARCTicA, Gray. 



Decidedly inequilateral, subcordate, very solid, almost smooth, 

 or only obsoletelj sulcated, and never costellated (except slightly 

 at the beaks) ; epidermis chestnut coloured, fibrous at the base ; 

 ligament half the length of the lozenge : lower margin arcuated 

 and entire. 



Plate XXX. fig. 7. 



Venus borealis (not of Linn.), Chemn. Conch. Cab. vol. vii. pi. 39, f. 412, (fide 

 Loven). 

 „ compressa, Mont. Test. Brit. Suppl. (not desc.) pi. 2G, lower f. 1, 1. 

 Crassina arctica. Gray, Appendix to Parry's Voyage (from types). — Hani,. 

 Recent Shells, vol. i. p. 88. 

 „ lorvuUs, NiLSON, Nov. Act. Holm. 1822, p. 188, pi. 2, f. .■?, 4. 

 Aslarlc C'l/prinoides, DuvAL, Revue Zoolog. Cuv. Soc. 1841, p. 278. — H.^m,. 

 Recent Shells, suppl. pi. 14, f. 40. 



