68 INVERTEBRATA OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



FIGURE 43. 

 State Coll., No. 210. Soc. Cab., No. 2328. 



Tellina tenta, SAY ; Amer. Conch., pi. 65, f. 3. 



Shell small, thin, white, oval ; beaks pointed, moderately prom- 

 inent behind the middle ; posterior side narrowed, the point slight- 

 ly truncated, the posterior hinge margin curvilinear ; valves very 

 convex, the left one most so, widely gaping, and very far bent to 

 the right ; posterior fold distinct on the right valve ; outer surface 

 shining, but not polished, minutely wrinkled by the lines of growth, 

 and with a few fine, radiating lines across the middle ; inner sur- 

 face polished, white, tinted with yellow, and covered with radi- 

 ating lines, which produce a finely indented margin. Hinge very 

 delicate, with two diverging cardinal teeth on the right valve, and 

 a single one on the left ; a posterior lateral tooth on the right 

 valve, and a corresponding groove on the left ; ligament minute, 

 prominent ; muscular and palleal impressions distinct. Length 

 | inch, height -| inch, breadth inch. 



Found by Professor Adams in 1838 in Dartmouth harbour ; 

 and in 1839 he obtained numerous single valves in mud dredged 

 up in New Bedford harbour. Mr. Say received it from South 

 Carolina. 



This is a distinctly characterized, true Tellina, and differs from all 

 others of our shores. It is larger than T. tenera, and has not its 

 polished surface. It differs from others principally in its less trian- 

 gular, strongly warped, and widely gaping posterior portion, and the 

 radiating lines within. 



TELLI'NA TE'NERA. 



Shell oblong sub-oval, thin, white , iridescent, delicately marked 

 by the lines of growth ; inequilateral, shortest and pointed behind ; 

 posterior lateral tooth obsolete. 



FIGURE 44. 



State Coll., No. 211. Soc. Cab., No. 1783. 



Tellina tenera, SAT; Journ. JlcaA. Nat. Sc., ii. 303. 



Shell small, thin, and delicate, transversely sub-oval, or, if we 

 regard the posterior portion, sub-triangular ; slightly longest and 



