102 Descriptions of British Chitones and other Shells. 



Valvuli omnes edentuli, sed marginibus minutissime crenulalis. 



Icon. Testa jun. tab. nost. V. fig. 3. a. Aucta. fig. 3. b. — Chemn. 

 Conch. 8. t. 96. f. 814. Chiton minimus. — Icon. Testa sen. tab, 

 v. nost. f. 4.— Chemn. Conch. 8. t. 96. f. 816. C. AsellusA 

 Encyc. Meth. pi. 161. f. 12. 



Shell scarcely so sharply carinated as in the following species. 

 Valves slightly beaked, with moniliform or chain-like granular 

 tions, disposed in longitudinal striae, giving the shell an elegant 

 appearance when seen through the lens. Marginal ligament with 

 black granulations like shagreen. All the valves without margi- 

 nal teeth, their edges inside minutely crenulated or granulose. 

 Fringe short. Ground colour of the shell light chocolate ; in 

 young specimens the posterior edges of the valves are dark brown 

 or black, which extends over about half the valve ; giving the 

 shell the banded appearance represented in Chemn. fig. 814. la 

 older specimens this colour becomes deeper, and extends gradu- 

 ally over the whole of that part of each valve which is uncovered 

 by the preceding as the shell contracts in drying. 



I have very little hesitation in uniting under this species the 

 C. minimus and Asellus of Chemnitz. The peculiarity of co- 

 louring in the latter is exactly what is observable in the older 

 shells of my specimens, with the exception of the yellowish spots 

 on the back, which merely are not sufficient to authorize con- 

 sidering it a distinct species. This opinion is confirmed by the 

 figure of C. Asellus in the Encyc. Meth., in which the longitu- 

 dinal striaj are represented, which are the distinguishing mark of 

 the species. These are so obscure in the very young specimens, 

 (of which I have some not more than a line in length), that they 

 might easily be overlooked by Chemnitz in his C. minimus. These 

 have also something of the mealy appearance which he ascribes 

 to that shell, though not sufficiently to warrant the character, 

 *' sprinkled with meal in patches," which has been formed from 

 his description- 

 Found at Oban and Appin, more plentifully at the latter ; low 

 down on the rocks at spring tides below Captain Carmichael's 

 bouse, where dead shells of Pecten islamlicus were also abundant. 

 Rare. 



