The Venus Clams and Carpet Shells 



posterior end, and truncated, yet it takes on many forms, to 

 adapt itself to rock crevices. Length, i to 2 inches. 



Habitat. — Cahfornia northward. 



The Leafy Rock Venus {V. joJiacea, Desh.) is the most 

 beautiful shell in the genus. The wavy frills are yellowish be- 

 neath and tinged with rosy violet toward the margins. Each 

 frill turns a corner as it crosses a ridge running from the hinge to 

 the sharply angular junction of the ventral and posterior margins. 

 Under the laminie faint radiating lines are seen in pairs. Length, 

 2 inches. 



Habitat. — Mazatlan. 



353 



