354 VENERIM. 



Bushbury Hill near Wolverhampton (Rev. W. Lister) 

 and Great Yarmouth (Rose) to the Coralline Crag. The 

 variety Sarniensis has been found in the Channel Isles 

 and south of England, on the Irish coasts, and at Loch 

 Carron and Lerwick, with the usual form. Var. 2. 

 Bantry Bay, west coast of Scotland, andLerwick ( J. G. J.) ; 

 Larne, co. Antrim (Hyndman). Its extra-British dis- 

 tribution includes Upper Norway (10-30 fathoms) and 

 the Lusitanian coasts, Mediterranean and .yEgean (shore 

 to 30 fathoms) ; it appears to be more a southern than 

 northern species. 



The elegant shape of this shell and its bright and 

 variegated (often particoloured) painting help to redeem 

 a collection of our native Testacea from the common 

 opprobrium that they are poor and dingy compared with 

 foreign shells. Not in their form alone, but 



. . . . "in the effusive warmth 

 Of colour mingling with a random blaze, 

 Doth beauty dwell." 



Specimens are found of larger dimensions than those 

 above described. I have one 2 inches long by 2-J- inches 

 broad. The fry are square and perfectly smooth. Dis- 

 tortions are not common, unless the variety Sarniensis 

 may be so regarded. In one specimen of this sort the 

 right valve has an obscure and broad furrow running 

 from the beak in the direction of the front margin. 

 Philippi states that the animal is eaten at Naples and 

 in Sicily, and is called by the lazzaroni " vongola." 



T. virgineus is oblong, and T. aureus triangular. The 

 present species is also distinguishable by the ribs being 

 partly obliterated. 



Although it is most unlikely that this can be the 

 Venus virginea of Linne (described as resembling V. 

 decussata, but more round and inhabiting India), it has 



