SECTION II 



LAMEIiljIBRANCHIATA OF THE MIOCENE IMARXiS OF NEW JERSEY. 



ASIPHONIDA. 



MONOMYARIA. 



Family OSTREir*.^. 

 Genus OSTREA Liniianis. 



OSTBEA ViRGINIANA. 



Plate II, Figs. 1-7. 



Ostrea Virginiana (Gmel.) and of authors. 



Ostrea Mauricensis Gabb: Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., vol. 4, 2d ser., p. 376, PI. 

 Lxvii, Fig. 26. Meek in Check List Mioc. Foss., p. 3. O. A. White. 



Besides the narrowly elongated wedge-form variety of tlie oyster, the 

 ordinary form of it occurs mider many variations. I have figured 

 several specimens showing some of these variations, and I see no reason 

 for considering the small flat upper valve figured by Mr. Gabb under the 

 name 0. Mauricensis as anything more than a specimen of this very vari- 

 able species. One of those which I have figured from the collection of 

 the Academy of Natural Sciences is fully 8 inches in length, even in its 

 imperfect condition, and I think must have been when entire fully 1 inch 

 longer. Among almost any lot of oysters seen in our markets, one may 

 select all the forms which are found in the marls near Shiloh, or at Elwell's 

 pits, near Jericho, N. J., except the narrow wedge-form variety. This one 

 I do not recollect ha\'ing noticed in the markets, although it is found living 

 commonly along the coast of New Jersey. I presume its small size, or 

 perhaps its isolated habits, may have prevented its use in this manner. The 



