PHOLAS. 77 



PRICKLY PIERCER. 

 PL 13. f. 1, 2, 3. 



1. Pholas Dactylus. Ph. testa oblonga, hinc reticulato-striata. Linn. 



Syst. Nat. ed. 12. p. 1110. Linn. Gifiel. p. 3214. 

 Shell oblong, with reticulate striae. 

 Testa lata, ventricosa, plicis transversis striisque longitudinalibus decus- 



sata, postice reticulata. Born, Test. p. 14. t. 1. f. 7. 

 List. Anim. Angl. Append, t. 2. f. 3. item Conch, t. 433. f. 267. Petiv. 



Gaz. t. 79. f. 10. Gualt. t. 105. f. D. Seb. Mus. 3. t. 16. f. 6. a— b. 



Da Cost. Brit. Conch, p. 144. t. 16. f. 2. Penn. Brit. Zool. ed. 



1812. vol. 4. pi. 42. f. 1. Murr. Fund. Test. t. 2. f. 3. Chemn. 



Conch. 8. t. 101. f. 859. Donov. Brit. Shells, t. 118. Mont. Test. 



Brit. p. 20. Linn. Trans. 8. p. 30. 



This is a rough shell, of an oblong shape, and strongly 

 striated both ways. The anterior end, which extends 

 more or less into a beak, is covered with prickles run- 

 ning in lines from the hinge to the margin. These 

 prickles gradually decline till they soften into striae, 

 which are lost towards the narrow end of the shell. 

 The hinge is reflexed, and forms several cells on the 

 back, as in fig. 3. These cells are covered in fig. 1. by 

 the two striated supernumerary valves ; another valve is 

 seen in the same figure, running towards the end of the 

 shell, between the two larger valves. There is a long 

 curved, flattish tooth, striated towards the end, on the 

 inside of each valve. Colour of the shell white, but 

 often stained with ochre. It is brittle, and the lesser 

 valves are very deciduous. 



Inhabits different parts of the European seas, and 

 shines by night. It is a common species on the coasts 

 of France and England. Mr. Montagu found it in 

 abundance at Salcomb, on the coast of South Devon, 

 where it burrows in the stumps of old trees which for- 



