25 



Brit,, vol. I, p. 114. C. J. Firm. Brit. An., p. 443. 



Scarcely abundant ; but taken in Trawls and on the lines 



of fishermen. 

 C. MINIMA. Venus M. Mont. Test. Brit., vol. 1, p. 121 



pi. 3, fig. 5. C. M. Flem. Brit. An., p. 444. 



Montagu says, " D is a rare species, which we have only 

 found sparingly at Falcuontb, dredged from the harbour, 

 alive." 



CYTHER/EA. 



GENERIC CHARACTER: The valves equal, the shell 

 suborbicular, triangular or transverse, four cardinal teeth 

 on the right valve, three of them diverging, approaching 

 at their base, and one, perfectly insulated, situated near 

 the lunula. Three diverging cardinal teeth on the other 

 valve, with a rather distant oval pit, parallel to the margin. 

 No lateral teeth. 

 * C. CHIONB. Venus C. Turt. Lin. Mont. Test. Brit., 

 vol. 1. p. 115. Flem. Brit. An., p. 144. Queens. Common. 

 C. OVATA. Venus Ovata. Pen. Brit. Zo., vol. 4, pi. 50, 



fig. 56. Flem. Brit. An., p. 445. Dead shells common. 

 C. REFLEXA. Venus R. Flem. Brit. An., p. 446. Rare. 

 I possess a single valve, obtained from the byssus of a 

 Pinna from deep water. 



1 have classed this species in the genus Cytheraea, from 

 the circumstance that my specimen was thus marked, by a 

 gentlemen well acquainted with conchoiogy. In many in- 

 stances, indeed, the- distinctions of these genera cannot be 

 strictly preserved j and therefore I venture to place here a 

 species, with which, without close investigation, it may be 

 confounded. This is the Venus Prideauxiana, as marked by 

 the same kind friend. The description of C. RtHexa is: 

 The shell compressed, length (from beak to margin) li inch ; 

 width I § inch; dorsal margin behind the beak approach- 

 ing to straight; concentric ridges rising into thin plates, 

 their edges bent upward on the forepart, waved and deflected- 

 towards the dorsal margin. Colour pale brown. On the 

 inner margin a fine crenulation, not extended to the border. 

 V. PRIDEAUXIANA is in length 7^ eighths of an inch 

 from beak to margin, and 9^ eighths broad ; dorsal margin 

 about equally straight as the former, but longer, by which 

 the circular sweep is less. The lunula of the former is 

 produced into a line that joins, with scarcely an interrup- 

 tion, the margin with the beak ; whereas in the latter it is 

 narrow and retiring. The concentric ridges, though in a 

 smaller shell, are more numerous, and far less elevated. 

 Colour pale brown, with two or three obscure marks of 

 the longitudinal lines so often seen on the Veneres. With- 

 in, the margin of the lunula is finely crenulated, as is also 



