52 
TELLINA. 
if the anterior slope be compressed into an acute 
wedge-shaped form, or if it be crooked. But 
the primary teeth are still in either case to be at- 
tended to ; for they constitute the best, though not 
always the most obvious, criterion. 
It is worthy of remark, that the bend or fold of 
the extremity of the compressed slope is, without 
any exception, towards the left valve ; that is, to- 
wards the right hand of the observer when the 
shell is placed upon its base with the area in 
front. 
The Tellinee are found buried in the sand or fine 
gravel of the sea-shore, some of them in rivers or 
wet ditches. 
TsX'sm, from whence Tellina has been derived, 
places but an ill-defined limit to the tribe, as it will 
include all shells which arrive quickly at maturity. 
It is difficult to imagine why the name was origi- 
nally adopted, or why it has been retained by 
almost all Conchologists. 
