LETTERS RELATING TO PHOLAS. 
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undescribed species. Mr. Smith subsequently submitted them 
to a friend at Torquay whose opinion is given in the following 
letter, and confirms the more deliberate impression that they are 
merely abnormal varieties of the well-known Pholas Candida 
of Linnaeus. I hope that the publication of these letters, as 
referring to specimens now in a Norfolk collection, may be not 
wholly without interest to conch ologists. 
Mr. Smith has sent me some excellent sketches which he has 
made of the best specimens in the series, the greater part of which 
are much smaller. 
4 
1, ‘ 2 . Two sketches showing sculpture and variation in form (enlarged). 
S. Dorsal view (natural size), accessory plate removed. 
4. Interior, showing hinge, characters, &c. 
Dear Lord Walsingham. 
I have this morning received back the specimens 
of the Pholas I forwarded to the concliologist at Torquay. He says 
“ The Fholas I take to be a depauperated form of Pholas Candida. 
The five propositions you suggest embrace this opinion and having 
examined and compared them, I have no doubt about it.” 
This is practically the conclusion I had independently arrived at. 
Nevertheless the shells are very interesting as indicating 
the peculiar form which this species at times assumes. I have 
