MOLLUSCA. 
89 
CONCHACEA.] 
purple or reddish-brown, having the appearance of Chinese cha- 
racters; inside smooth, glossy, white, frequently tinged with 
saffron-colour or purple ; margins smooth ; two of the cardinal 
teeth cleft; sometimes the colour is of a uniform golden -yellow. 
Length varying from an inch and a half to two inches; breadth 
from two inches and a quarter to two inches and five-eighths ; 
and when it attains the latter size, the margins of the valves are 
much thickened. 
Found on many of the British and Irish coasts ; but more 
local than the following. 
2. PULLASTRA VDLGARIS, pi. XXXVII, f. 7- 
Venus pullastra. First Ed., pi. 19, f. 7 ; Montagu, p. 125 ; 
Turton, Biv., p. 159; Fleming, p. 451 ; Forbes, p. 53; Lamarck, 
V, p. 598 ; Maton and Rackett, Linn. Tr., VIII, p. 88, pi. 2, 
f. 7. 
Shell transversely subovate; anterior side subtruncated; with 
fine, longitudinal, and transverse striae, giving a fine reticulated 
appearance to the surface, which is of a pale yellow, buflf, or 
white, with numerous, brown, zigzag, irregular markings; inside 
smooth, white, or tinged with pale flesh-colour or purple, par- 
ticularly towards the subtruncated side ; margins smooth. 
This shell bears a strong resemblance to P. decussata, from 
which, however, it is distinguished by being smoother, the decus- 
sated striae finer, and in the general form being less square. 
Both the longitudinal and transverse striae are much coarser in 
P. decussata on the posterior side, producing a granulated 
appearance. 
Common on most of the British and Irish coasts. 
3. Pullastra perforans, pi. XXXVII, f. 10. 
Venus perforans. First Ed., pi. 19, f. 10; Montagu, p. 127, 
pi. 3, f. 6; Maton and Rackett, Linn. Tr., VIII, p. 89; Brown, 
Wernerian Mem., II, p. 511 ; Venerupus perforans, Lamarck, 
V, p. 506; Turton, Biv., p. 29, pi. 2, f. 15, 16, 17, 18; Venus 
pullastra, young, Forbes, p. 53. 
Shell subrhomboidal; with very fine, longitudinal, and strong 
transverse striae, which have much the aspect of wrinkles; um- 
bones placed near one end, and turned a little obliquely ; striae 
of anterior side rough; colour of a dull, dirty yellowish-brown ; 
inside smooth, white. 
This species will easily be distinguished from the young of 
P. decussata, by its more slender and recurved teeth. It is 
subject to much variation in form. 
Found burrowing in rocks at Teignmouth, Torbay, and off 
Plymouth; and in stones at Howth and Portmarnock, Ireland. 
4. Pullastra Irus, pi. XXXVI, f. 9. 
Venus Irns, h'irst Ed., pi. 20, f. 9; Capsa Irus, Leach, MSS., 
p. 8 ; Donax Irus, Montagu, p. 108 and 573 ; Donovan, I, pi. 
29, f. 2 ; Maton and Rackett, p. 77 ; Venerupis Irus, Lamarck, 
V, p. 507 ; Fleming, p. 451 ; Petricola Irus, Turton, Biv., p. 
26, pi. 2, f. 14. 
Shell transversely suboval, opaque, dull white, or pale drab, 
and sometimes dull purple; provided with concentric, membra- 
naceous, elevated, undulated ndges, reflected upwards, fre- 
quently interrupted, with their interstices finely striated longi- 
tudinally ; umbo small, placed near to. one side, the beak much 
turned inwards ; inside white, or pale flesh-colour, generally 
with a dark purple or lilac spot near the hinge, and placed 
towards the longer side of the valves ; teeth small, cleft, one 
excepted. 
This species is extremely liable to vary in its external con- 
tour. 
Found burrowing in hard Limestone rocks on the Devon- 
shire coast, and is pretty plentiful in the rocks at Torbay ; and 
found at Youghal, Ireland, by Robt. Ball, Esq., Dublin Castle. 
5. Pullastra virginea, pi. XXXVI, f. 6, and pi. XXXVII, 
f. 8, 9. 
Venus virginea. First Ed., pi. 19, f. 8, 9? and pi. 20, f. 6 ; 
Montagu, p. 128; Maton and Rackett, Linn. Tr., VIII, p. 89, 
pi. 2, f. 8 ; Turton, Biv., p. 156, pi. 8, f. 8 ; Forbes, p. 53. 
Shell transversely suboval, strong, smooth, shining; with 
wide-set, transverse striae, here and there interrupted by a 
larger and deeper one; colour various, of a pale chestnut, flesh- 
colour, or reddish-brown, ornamented with rays, clouds, and 
spots of various forms and hues, of umber-brown, purple, or 
rust-colour; a lanceolate, cordiform lunule under the umbones; 
inside white, frequently tinged with rose-colour, blue, or pur- 
ple ; margins quite smooth. 
Both sides of this shell are more acuminated than either the 
P. vulgaris or decussata. 
This beautiful shell inhabits most of the coasts around Great 
Britain and Ireland, and is liable to some variety in shape. 
6. Pullastra aurea, pi. XXXVI, f. 5, 7, 8. 
Venus aurea. First Ed., pi. 20, f. 5, 7, 8 ; Lamarck, V, p. 
600; Montagu, p. 129; Turton, Biv., p. 154; Maton and 
Rackett, p. 90, pi. 2, f. 9; Brown, Wernerian Mem., II, p. 51 1 ; 
Fleming, p. 449. 
Shell transversely subovate, subcordiform, rather inflated, 
moderately strong, rounded; with fine, transverse striae, and 
nearly obsolete, longitudinal striaj, which are not visible without 
the aid of a lens ; umbones nearly central, small, and inflated, 
beneath which is a short, lanceolate, cordiform lunule ; colour 
various, sometimes cream-white, pale or golden-yellow, or 
brownish-yellow, marked with purple, bluish-black, or reddish- 
brown zigzag lines; inside white, rich golden-yellow, or purple; 
hinge with three cardinal teeth in each valve, the middle one 
cleft. Length generally an inch ; breadth an inch and three- 
eighths : but sometimes exceeds this size. 
This species is liable to some variety in form, as will be 
noticed from the figures in the plate. 
Found plentifully on the Devonshire, Cornwall, and Dorset- 
shire coasts; Dublin Bay, Portmarnock, and Carrickfergus, 
Ireland. 
Genus 10. — Venus — Linnseus. 
Shell smooth, equivalve, inequilateral, transverse, subglobose, 
or suboval ; external surface sometimes rugose ; margins close ; 
three divergent, cardinal teeth in each valve, all approximate ; 
umbones prominent for the most part, with a cordiform depres- 
sion immediately under them ; two lateral, remote, somewhat 
orbicular muscular impressions, united by a pallial impression, 
which is generally provided with a short, triangular sinus be- 
hind ; ligament external, although sometimes almost hidden by 
the extension of the outer edge of the shell. 
1. Venus Gallina, pi. XXXVI, f. 11. 
Venus Gallina, First Ed., pi. 20, f. 1 1 ; Fleming, p. 448 ; 
Turton, Biv., p. 149, ph 9, f- 2; Forbes, p. 52; Venus striatida, 
Montagu, p. 113; Ortygia Gallina, Leach, MSS., p. 8. 
z 
