TELLINA. 



TESTA transversa, subaequivalvis, inaequilate- 

 ralis, latere antieo plerumque rotundato, 

 postico subrostrato, anguloso; margine ven- 

 trali antie^ irregulariter flexuoso: dentibus in 

 utraque valva, cardinalibus plerumque duobus, 

 lateralibus duobus, nonnumquam obliteratis, 

 plerumque remotis ; impressionibus muscularibuf: 

 duabus remotis; impressione miisculari pallii 

 sinu maximo. 



Thb irregular flexuosity of the anterior ventral margin 

 appears to have been constantly regarded as the principal 

 distinguishing character of this beautiful genus, and when 

 we consider the number of species possessing this charac- 

 ter, and agreeing also in other general circumstances, it 

 may perhaps be still considered as the essential character 

 of the genus. This remark is rendered important by the 

 fact of the existence of a number of shells bearing a 

 general resemblance to Tellina, in which, however, this 

 fiexuous fold is not observable; we allude to the Lamarck- 

 ian genus Tellinides which some Naturalists would re-unite 

 to Tellina : whether or not there is sufficient reason for 

 the separation we will not attempt to decide, but shall 

 point out to our readers the peculiarities of both, com- 

 mencing with Tellina. 



Shell transverse, generally nearly equivalve, in- 

 equilateral; anterior side generally rounded, posterior 

 somewhat beaked, angular; anterior ventral margin with 

 an irregular flexuosity; cardinal teeth in each valve 

 generally two, sometimes only one; lateral teeth in each 

 valve two, in some instances scarcely perceptible, gene- 



