734 



antico brevi; lunula cordata, striata, impressa; latere postieo 

 oblique declivi, subangulato; margine dorsali maculato, angula- 

 tim depresso. 



From a great number of specimens in various stages I am led, 

 notwithstanding the absence of interior purple, the less obliquity, 

 and the variegated markings of V. notata of American authors, 

 to consider it as merely the young state, or, at most, a local 

 variety of V. mercenaria. 



North America. 



92. Venus striatula (pi. clviii. f. 134, 135, 136), Da Costa 

 (Pectunculus), Brit. Conch, p. 191. pi. 12. f. 2 ; Donovan (Venus). 

 Venus gallina, Auct. Brit., non Linn. V. Pennantii, Forbes. V. 

 laminosa, Tttrt. V. rugosa, Pennant. V. Prideauxiana, Couch. 

 V. sulcata, V. costata, Brown. 



V. testa ovali-subcordata, subcompressa, pallide fulva, rufo vel 

 fusco-radiatim fasciata et minute maculata, costellis numerosis 

 medio rotundatis ad latera laminatis cincta; latere antico brevius- 

 culo, subacuminato, superne declivi; lunula substriata, planulatim 

 depressa ; latere postieo producto, subacuminato ; margine dorsali 

 striato, rufo minute maculato, declivi, planulatim depresso ; mar- 

 gine ventrali subrotundato, intus crenulato. 



A rather small, oval shell, rather acuminated at each end, and 

 shorter in front than behind ; the riblets are small and numerous, 

 rounded in the middle, and laminated at the sides ; it is generally 

 of a light brown or whitish colour, rayed and sprinkled with small 

 reddish spots, particularly on the dorsal area, which is sloping and 

 flattened. 



British Seas. 



93. Venus gallina (pi. clxi. f. 202, 203), Linnmis, Syst. 

 Nat. 12th edit. p. 1131. 



V. testa cordata, oblique subtrigona, alba vel fulva, punctis 

 fuscis aspersa et plerumque fasciata, intus postice violacea, cos- 

 tellis lsevibus subplanulatis irregulariter undulatis et interruptis 

 postice tenuioribus cincta ; latere antico breviusculo, subacumi- 

 nato, superne declivi ; umbonibus elevatis ; latere postieo subro- 

 tundato ; margine dorsah striato, depresso, asperso ; margine ven- 

 trab rotundato, intus crenulato. 



A broader and more elevated shell than V. striatula, more 

 rounded at the sides and ventral margin; the ribs broader and 

 more flattened in the centre, and irregularly interrupted and un- 



