CONCHIFERA. 



225 



sions two; pallial impression sinuated posteriority.* 

 fossil. 



There is 1 species G. Donaciformis. 



Tellina. Lin, — Shell nearly equivalve, rather inequi- 

 lateral, transverse, or 

 orbicular, and greatly 

 compressed; the valves 

 on the ligamental side 

 irregularly undulated ; 

 cardinal and lateral teeth 

 two, the latter some- 

 times wanting; ligament 

 external, and on the 

 shortest side : pallial im- 

 pression with a deep and wide sinus. Animal, ovate, 

 compressed; mantle entirely open in front, its margin 

 fimbriated; siphons long, separate throughout, usually 

 nearly equal, their orifices plain or very indistinctly 

 toothed ; foot large, triangular, compressed, apiculate ; 

 labial palpi large, lanceolate ; branchial leaflets, united in 

 pairs on each side, f — 207 species %; also fossil. 



The Tellinas are all attractive from their beautiful 

 colour and elegant form. The valves are not always 

 similar, one being occasionally more convex than the other, 

 the colours and bands also differing, and the valves in some 

 species are much more twisted than in others. The animal 

 has the power of springing to a considerable distance, by 

 folding a portion of its body, and then suddenly extending 

 it ; the shell being closed at the same time with a loud 

 snap. They bore into the sand on the sea-shore, and often 

 become the prey of carnivorous shell-fish as the Buccinum, 



* Sow. Concb. Manual. t Forbes's British Moll. 



\ Sow. Thesaurus. 



Q 



Tellina radiata. 



