JOURNAL OF CONCHOLOGY. 233 



A FEW REMARKS ON THE SPECIES OF ASTARTE. 



By J. GWYN JEFFREYS, LL.D., F.R.S. 



The last number of the 'Journal of Conchology' contains an 

 elaborate and conscientious review of the recent species oiAstarte 

 by Mr. Edgar A. Smith. 



I would not have said any more about it, but for his criticism 

 of my views on the subject; because, although I am fully aware 

 that I must have made many mistakes in the course of a long 

 study of the mollusca of the European seas, I do not admit the 

 charges of having been "certainly erroneous" (as Mr. Smith phrases 

 it) in the case of certain species. 



In the last number of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society 

 (7th June, 1 881) will be found at pages 711 — 713 my account of 

 the species of Astarte which were procured in the Expeditions of 

 H.M.SS. 'Lightning' and 'Porcupine'. It gives the geographical 

 and geological range of distribution and the principal synonyms. 



With respect to 'Astarte sulcata I said that this is a most poly- 

 morphous and puzzling species, as regards shape, sculpture and 

 other characters. Two of the most noteworthy varieties are Tel- 

 Una fusca of Poli= Venus tncrassata, Brocchi, and Crassina ellip- 

 tica of Brown; the former has a southern, and the latter a north- 

 ern habitat. The crenulation of the inner margin is by no means 

 indicative of full growth. Venus gallina and many other species 

 of that genus possess the same character in all stages of growth. 



I consider A. crenata, Gray the same species as A. dep?-essa, 

 Brown, A. crebrtcosfata, Forbes, A. creln-ilirata, S. Wood ()oung), 

 A. Richardsoni, Reeve, and A. lens, Stimpson. And I remarked 

 that this species ' may be known by its depressed and triangular 

 shape and its numerous ribs; but I have specimens which seem 

 to unite it with A. sulcata. The typical form is smaller, 



