184 BIVALVES. 



equal auricles ; upper valve flattish, depressed 

 near the hinge, lower valve convex ; the surface 

 has about fourteen rounded ribs, is longitudinally 

 grooved, and very finely striated transversely ; the 

 lower valve is white, tinged with red ; upper valve 

 reddish brown or spotted with pink and brown ; 

 inside white with a reddish brown margin ; length 

 five inches, breadth six. 



This shell is not uncommon on some of our 

 coasts, particularly at the mouth of large rivers ; 

 it is frequently sold for the use of the table, and 

 is much esteemed as a nutritious diet. It is as- 

 serted by fishermen, that they are taken in the 

 greatest quantities after a fall of snow. This was 

 the species worn by the Pilgrims who visited the 

 Holy Land, 



Genus ANOMIA.* Plural, Anomice. 



ANOMIA, OR ANTIQUE LAMP. 



Generic Character. Shell bivalve, inequivalve, 

 form suborbicular, one valve flattened, and often 

 perforated in the disk, the other more concave, 

 and sometimes having its beak produced, curved 

 over the hinge, and perforated at the apex ; hinge 

 toothless, having a linear projection which is 

 united under the beak to the opposite valve by a 

 strong ligament. 



* Plate IX. figure 9 ; Plate X. figure 1. 



