1867.] Contributions to Indian Malacology. 69 



Sphenia. I scarcely think that the exceptional character justifies the 

 creation of a new genus, as the characters of the animal unfortunately 

 were not noted. The practice of estahlishing genera for single species 

 on insufficient grounds is so objectionable, that it will be better to 

 err in the opposite direction. When the animal has been examined, 

 should it shew distinctions from Sphenia, it will be easy to propose 

 a new generic or subgeneric appellation. 

 No. 31, Corbula, sp. 



A single valve of a very thin species of Corbula was found on mud 

 above Port Dalhousie. 



Family TELLINIDiE. 

 No. 32, Sanguinolaria diphos, L. 



This shell lives at a depth of about 4 feet in the mud. I found it 

 abundantly in a marsh overflowed by every tide and where I should 

 never have suspected its existence, had not my Burmese coolies point- 

 ed it out and shewn me how to capture specimens. Burmese, being 

 omnivorous beings, are far better acquainted with the hiding places of 

 various animals than the natives of India are ; amongst other dainties 

 they eat Sanguinolarice, and the process for catching them which they 

 shewed me was ingenious. The first thing was to cut a very thin 

 slip of bamboo, about 5 feet long and not more than \ inch in diame- 

 ter, and to make a small barb at the end. This they thrust down all 

 the small holes in the mud, many of which corresponded to the si- 

 phons of the Sanguinolarice below. Now and then the bamboo went 

 through a Sanguinolaria, as he lay vertically with his valves open below 

 the mud ; of course the bivalve immediately closed his valves upon 

 the intruder, and was ignominiously dragged out by the bamboo, his 

 exit being aided by digging when he approached the surface. The 

 only objection to the plan is, that most of the specimens are slightly 

 injured, as the shell closes with such force upon the bamboo as to break 

 the thin ends of the valves. Some specimens were brought up in 

 which the bamboo had been absolutely thrust down the siphon, thus 

 literally impaling the Sanguinolaria. The siphons are of great length, 

 considerably exceeding the shell. 

 No. 33, Macoma ala, Hanley. 

 No. 34, Serobieularia angulata, Chem. 



I find both the above shells recorded in my list. I cannot now come 



