222 



POPULAR CONCHOLOGY. 



Gray has formed twelve genera, but they are not charac- 

 terised ; the names are as follows : — Dosinia, Meretrix, 

 Cuneus, Trigona, Dione, Circe, Venus, Mercenaria, Ano- 

 malocardia, Chione, Tapes, Clementia. 



Artemis Poli. — Shell more or less orbicular, equi- 

 valve, inequilateral, concentrically striated, or ridged, rarely 

 smooth, ridges sometimes laminated at 

 the sides, especially at the posterior side ; 

 area of the ligament sometimes simple, 

 generally more or less excavated, ante- 

 rior side mostly impressly lunulated; 

 hinge strong, with three diverging teeth 

 in one valve, and four in the other ; liga- 

 ment sub-external, muscular impressions 

 oblong, nearly equal, impressions of the 

 sinus of the mantle conspicuously lanceo- 

 lately triangular, rather deep; shell 

 mostly whitish.* Animal, suborbicular, its mantle freely 

 open, the margins entire, or only partially serrated; 

 siphonal tubes long, united to their extremities, margins 

 of their orifices fimbriated : foot semilunar, f — 61 species J ; 

 also fossil. 



Mr. Reeve remarks that the shells of this genus rarely 

 present the polished smoothness or colouring of Cytheria 

 (of Lamarck), nor the festooned sculpture so frequent in 

 Venus ; but are generally concentrically striated or 

 ridged. Three species inhabit the shores of Europe, five 

 those of China, Japan, and Korea ; eleven are from the 

 Philippines, two from the Malaccas, seven from Australia, 

 two from New Zealand, six from North Africa, and seven 

 from America. A. ponder osa is the largest and most 

 striking. 



Tethis. Sow. — Shell equivalve, subequilateral, more 

 * Reeve's Iconica. f Forbes's British Moll. } Tconica. 



