40 CONTRIBUTIONS 



M. de Blainville, the founder of the genus; who by his 

 talents and industry has contributed so eminently to the 

 improvement and dissemination of the knowledge of na- 

 tural history. This tribute to his worth affords me pecu- 

 liar pleasure, estimating as I do his amiable character and 

 great acquirements. 



FAMILY MY ARIA. 



GENUS ANATINA. Lamarck. 



A. Claibornensis. Plate 1. Fig. 8. 



Description. A portion of the hinge only of this shell has 

 come under my notice, consisting of the apophysis, the point 

 of the beak, and a small part of the dorsal margin behind 

 the beak. The apophysis is elliptical, and small compara- 

 tively with the thickness of the valve in that region. The 

 figure is a good representation of the part described, and 

 it will be observed that the substance of the shell is much 

 thicker than any described species. The pearly nacre 

 which distinguishes most of the genus is very observable 

 in this. 



I am not aware of this genus having been before ob- 

 served in a fossil state, and it is to be hoped that the exer- 

 tions of naturalists now interested in investigating this 

 formation will bring to light perfect specimens of this 

 interesting shell. 



