82 THE NAUTILUS. 



ginia, and even into Alabama. " Mr. Pilsbrv in his recent Check- 

 List of X. A. Land Sliells credits it to the " Eastern United States." 

 The collection in the National Museum shows that it has a much 

 wider distribution. Upon examining certain shells collected by Dr^ 

 Edward Palmer [Mus. No 37282] on the AVest Coast, several years 

 ago, I found that he had discovered Say's species on the banks of the 

 Yaqui river near Guaymas, on the easterly side of the Gulf of 

 California. The jump was so great, across the continent or a good 

 part of it, that I somewhat doubted my own eyes, and therefore sent 

 specimens to Tryon and Binney to learn their opinions ; both of 

 these gentlemen confirmed my determination. Zonites (Hyalina) 

 Binney and Morse credited to " North Eastern U. S. ; Canada," by 

 Mr. Pilsbry also makes a great leap to the westward, surpassing that 

 of S. hirsuta, having been detected at Vancouver Island B. C. accord- 

 ing to Dr. J. G. Cooper in Proc. Cal. Acad. Sciences, Dec. 31, 1887.. 



R. E. C. Stearns. 

 Washington, D. C, Oct 26, 1889. 



THE SHELL-BEARING MOLLTJSCA OF RHODE ISLAND. 



BY HORACE F. CARPENTER. 



Venericordia borealis Conrad. 



Shell rounded, obliquely heart-shaped, thick and strong, inequi- 

 partite ; beaks prominent ; elevated and recurved ; surface with 

 twenty ribs radiating from the beaks ; three ribs are raised, rounded 

 and broad, with a narrow groove between each rib, crossed by 

 coarse lines of growth and the whole surface covered wath a strong 

 rusty brown epidermis; hinge strong; teeth two in each valve;- 

 interior white ; margin crenulated. Length one inch ; height one 

 inch ; breadth j^. Inhabits from New Jersey to Labrador ; gener- 

 ally in deep water. It is often obtained from the stomachs of fishes. 

 Mr. S. I. Smith found specimens in Gardiner's Bay, Long Island, 

 and one specimen was found at Sandy Hook. I have found a few 

 specimens at Block Island. In Maine it grows to a larger size than 

 those found further south. AVoodward quotes it from the Sea of 

 Okhotsk, which if true, shows as wide distribution both in climate 

 and in extent of coast. 



Another species, the Cyclocardia novanglire Morse, is quoted from 

 Connecticut to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, deep water, but has not 

 been found as yet in Rhode Island. 



