143 
OSTREA gigantea, 
TAB* LXIY* 
Spec, Char. Depressed, longer than wide, pit of 
* the hinge large, tripartite, placed upon a 
straight perpendicular eminence, its sides Hat 
striated; sides near the edge obscurely crenu- 
lated; muscular impressions deep. 
Syn. Ostrea gigantea. Brander 9 Foss . Hant.f . 88. 
The chief distinguishing mark of this oyster is the internal 
end of the hinge, which is perpendicular to the surface 
of the shell and straight not curved gradually into the 
sides of the shelly as in other species. The shell is thick 
and irregular in form* 
I was favoured with this rare specimen by Miss Beneft 3 
who procured it from Hordwell or Barton Cliffs in 1813 . 
It is the finest specimen, I believe, yet known, and appears 
to be the deeper valve. At the British Museum there is a 
fragment which I think seems to be the shallow valve of a 
size that may fit this, having about the same area and the 
hinge being similar; pieces more or less perfect are not 
unfrequent. 
There are much larger oysters, recent and otherwise^ 
but I am unwilling to alter the name. I picked up one 
brought to mend the road at Lambeth which weighed 
three pounds and an half, possibly from Malta, where there 
are oyster shells weighing much more; and I have an 
elongated one resembling Ostrea virgin iana, Lister , Tab* 
SOD, 201. Fig. 34 and 35, about one foot long. 
It is worthy remark in this specimen that the colour of 
the cicatrix is so conspicuous. 
