I 
The Hijlory of ANIMALS. 
as much in thicknefs, when clofed: the beaks at the top turn in over the hinges and 
meet fo, as to form a kind of heart-like figure, which is favoured alfo by the make 
of the whole fheli, when viewed fideways: the whole furface is deeply furrowed, 
and the ridges are continued at the edge, fo as to form a dentated verge { they are all 
the way up furnifhed alfo with a kind of hollow, pyramidal fquammas, pointed at 
the ends: the ground colour of the fheli is whitifh, but it is variegated with fpots of 
red and of yellowifh. 
This is not unfrequent on the fhores of the Mediterranean, and in many other 
parts of Europe. 
Cardia fulcata apicihus diftantibus. 
The fulcated Cardia , with the beaks dijlant . 
This is a very Angular fpecies} it is about an inch and a quarter in length, and as 
much in diameter : the valves are equal, and they are large toward the bale, and con- 
fiderably elated and hollowed, but at the top they form each a beak, longer, flen- 
derer, and more contorted than ordinary} thefe are placed at a diftance, when the fheli 
is clofed, and make a very Angular appearance : the whole furface of the fheli is deep¬ 
ly furrowed in a longitudinal direction } the ridges are not much elevated, and the 
colour of the whole fheli is a dufky white} fometimes, though rarely, it is varies 
gated with brown, and with a yellowifh-red. 
It is a native of the American Seas. 
Cardia comprejfa elegantijfima marginata. 
The elegant , comprejfedj and marginated Heart-fhelL 
: Thi$ is a mo A; extreamly elegant fpecies, and is fo tender and delicate, that, though 
we often had feen fragments of it, it was not till (hells bore a price as merchandize 
that we met with it entire i it is about an inch and a quarter in length, and an inch 
in it’s largeft diameter, which is not as ufually from the oppofite edges, but from the 
ridged and marginated backs of the (hells: the valves are extreamly elevated in the 
back, and that not in the rounded manner of the reft, but they form a (harp ridge, 
which is furrounded with a narrow margin different from the reft of the fheli} they 
are pointed at the bottom, and have each it’s twilled beak at the top, and, when 
clofed, make a much more perfect Agure of a heart than any of the former: the 
whole furface is furrowed, and the ribs between the lines are not much elevated } it is 
extreamly thin, and it’s colour is a plain and tolerably bright white on the outfide, 
and a brighter and purer white within. 
We have it from the fhores of the American iftands, and fometimes from the Eaft 
Indies} thofe from the latter place are more rare, but they do not at all excel the oc¬ 
cidental ones in beauty, 
Cardia gibbofa dorfo acuto marginato , variegatd . 'iCljC tUcftttS 
The Jharp-backed Cardia , with elegant variegations . 
This is alfo an extreamly elegant fpecies, and, if it wants any thing of the\delicacy 
of ftrudure of the former, it excels it in the variety of it’s colouring : it is an inch 
and a half long, and an inch and a quarter in diameter, meafuring from the ridge of 
the back of one of the valves to that of the other : the Agure is very regularly that 
of a heart at cards} the bottom is pointed} the top formed of the joining of two 
beaks, which indeed go a little over one another } and the edges of the two valves, 
where they join, are denticulated : the (hell is thin and light, and is elegantly furrow¬ 
ed } the ridges rifing between the lines are rounded, and there runs each way a margin 
round the back of the valves, from the extream turn of the beaks to the points: the 
ground colour of the (hell is white, but it is elegantly variegated with lines and fpots 
of a deep and bright purple, and fometimes with a few fainter clouds of yellow. 
We have it on the coafts of fome of our American iftands, and it has alfo been 
brought from the Eaft. 
The other fpecies of the Cardise are thefe : i. Of thofe of a fomewhat globofe fi¬ 
gure, there are, i. The large, yellow, furrowed Cardia. 2. The greyiih-brown, 
U u fpinofe 
