Handbook of Paleontology 159 



hole near the apex of the lower valve through which 

 extends a stout stalk by which the shell is fastened to 

 some shell or other body by a byssus. The shells are 

 scalelike and greenish yellow in color from which they are 

 also known as Scale Shells or Gold Shells. Of the scal- 

 lops the Common Scallop or Beaming Scallop {Pecten 

 irradians) is the true scallop of the Boston and New 

 York markets. It lives at its best in shallow bays and 

 harbors where the bottom is apt to be sandy or where it 

 is covered with eel-grass. The valves are rounded, two 

 and one-half inches in length and width, with normally 

 19 ribs, and the shell is flattened at the hinge forming a 

 pair of equal ears. In color the shell is blackish horn to 

 ashen gray with a shining interior. This species is ex- 

 ceedingly abundant. Its metropolis is Cape Cod. It is 

 rarely found north of Provincetown and has no range 

 north of Boston. It is abundant on the New Jersey coast 

 and in Long Island sound, particularly near the eastern 

 end. South of Cape Hatteras another species (P. dislo- 

 catus) replaces this one. There are a number of southern 

 species and several beautiful species occur on the Pacific 

 coast. The Arctic or Northern Scallop (P. islandicus) 

 is a northern species belonging to Newfoundland. It ex- 

 tends into the Arctic region and is found on the northern 

 coasts of Europe. Valves of this shell are cast up on 

 New England beaches, but they are very rarely found 

 south of Cape Cod. Off the New England coast it is 

 quite common at depths of 150 feet and more, since, like 

 many northern forms, it finds its proper environment in 

 deeper waters farther south. The shell of this species is 

 light orange to reddish brown in color, has a scaly skin, 

 50 to 100 shallow ridges and irregular ears. The largest 

 shells are about three inches long and three and one-half 



