The Venus Clams and Carpet Shells 



Yet a walk of half a mile on the sand at Long Beach often yielded 

 five Tivelas, quite enough to make a royal chowder for a family 

 of ten. In some places the farmers run ploughs through the beach 

 sand, and turn clams out like potatoes in a field. They are often 

 in the markets. Street venders sell them from push carts at five 

 cents each. Length, 5 inches. 

 Habitat. — Southern California. 



Sub-genus DIONB, Gray 



Venus Dione (C. Veneris, Desh.) represents a beautiful 

 group of Cythereas whose distribution centres in Australia. The 

 rosy pink polished shell is a compact, ventricose little box, with 

 the posterior area set off by abrupt angular ridges. These two 

 ridges bear long, curving spines in two rows. The surface of the 

 valves is scored concentrically and lamellar ridges rise between 

 the sulci. The colour sometimes shades into deep violet. This is 

 one of the most striking and handsome of bivalve shells. Length; 

 2 to 3 inches. 



Habitat. — West Indies, Central America. 



The Orange Dione (C aurantia, Desh.) is a larger shell with 

 bold ovate-globose form, the angled ridges spineless and scarcely 

 showing at all. The smooth, polished surface is a rich orange 

 colour. Length, 4 inches. 



Habitat. — Eastern seas. 



Sub-genus AMIANTIS, Cpr. 



The White Amiantis (C. callosa, Conr.) is a pure white, oval 

 shell, covered with concentric, lamellar ridges, often double. 

 The hinge is set forward a trifle. Length, 3 to 4 inches. 



Habitat. — California. 



Shells of sub-genus Circe show beautiful chevron markings. 



Genus DOSINIA, Scop. 



Shell orbicular, compressed, concentrically lamellate or 

 striated, a deep lunule under the small beaks; hinge teeth, three 

 in each valve; ligament external, partly concealed; siphons united; 

 mantle margins plaited; foot large, squarish. 



The Di«k Dosinia (D. discus, Rve.) is shaped like the discus 



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