MOLLUSCA.
BY JOHN EDWARD GRAY, ESQUIRE, F.G.S.
1. CONCHOPHORA.
1. Solenomya australis.
Solemya Australis, Lam. Hist. 5 489.
Mya marginipectinata, Peron and Lesueur
2. Mactra abbreviata ? Lam. Hist. 5 477. n. 20.
Icon. --
This collection contains a considerable number of specimens of a shell agreeing with the short specific character given by Lamarck of the above; but as it has not been figured, I have referred to it with a mark of doubt. The shells are rather solid, white, or white variegated with purple, with numerous concentric wrinkles, which are more distinct nearer the margin; the umbones, covered with a thin pale periostraca, nearly smooth and polished, with a small purple spot, the inside white, with the disk and posterior slope purple; the anterior and posterior slopes distinct, the lunule and escutcheon deeply and distinctly sulcated; length fourteen-tenths of an inch; height one inch
3. Mactra ovalina, Lam. Hist. 5 477
This shell is nearly of the same shape as the last, but the anterior slope is rounded and circumscribed, and the posterior only marked by a raised line in the periostraca. The shell is thin, white; with a pale brown and deeply grooved escutcheon
4. Solen truncatus, Wood. Conch.
Solen ceylonensis, Leach, Zool. Misc. 1 22. table 7.
Solen vagina, b. Lam. Hist. 5 451.
Icon. Wood. Conch. t. 26. f. 3. 4. Ency. Method. t. 222. f. 1
5. Cardium tenuicostatum, Lam. Hist. 6 5.
Icon. --
The shell when perfect is white, with rose-coloured umbones; the rose colour is often extended down the centre of the shell, forming concentric zones
6. Lucina divaricata, Lam. Hist. 5 541.
Tellina divaricata, Gmel. Sys. Nat. 1 3241.
Icon. Chemn. Conch. 6 134. t. 13. f. 129
7. Venerupis galactites, nob.
Venus galactites, Lam. Hist. 5 599.
Icon. --
The fact of Lamarck having placed in the genus Venus this shell, which a modern conchologist has considered as a variety of Venerupis perforans, shows the very great affinity that exists between those genera
8. Venus flammiculata ? Lam. Hist. 5 605.
Icon. --
This shell is pale yellowish, with irregular, large, distinct, concentric ridges, and distinctly radiated striae; the umbones smooth, polished, orange-yellow; the lozenge lanceolate, purple; the inside golden-yellow; the anterior and posterior dorsal margins purple
9. Venus tessellata (n.s.)
Testa ovato-oblonga, albida, lineis purpureis angulatis picta; sulcis concentricis, ad latus posteriorem lamellatis; marginibus integerrimis.
Icon. --
Shell ovate-oblong, white, polished, with rows of square purple spots, forming regular lines, with the points directed toward the back of the shell; covered with many distinct, nearly equal, concentric, smooth ridges; the front part of the ridges somewhat elevated, thin, hinder part distinctly lamellar and much elevated: the lunule subulate, lanceolate; the edge quite entire; umbones with a purple spot; inside white, except on the anterior and posterior dorsal edges, which are purple; length eight-tenths, height six-tenths of an inch
There are two other specimens of this shell in the Museum which do not agree with any that Lamarck describes; one of these being fourteen-tenths of an inch long, and one inch high, is double the size of Captain King's specimen; its habitation is not marked, but the other specimen is from Ceylon
10. Cytherea kingii (n.s.)
Testa ovato-cordata, tumida, albida, concentrice substriata, radiata, radiis flavicantibus; lunula lanceolato-cordata; intus albida
Shell ovate, heart-shaped, white or pale brown, with darker brown rays, each formed of several narrow lines, the umbones white, the edge quite entire; the lunule lanceolate heart-shaped, obscurely defined, the centre rather prominent; inside white, the hinge margin rather broad
This shell is very like Cytherea loeta, but differs from it in its markings, as well as its outline, which is more orbicular. The specimen given to the Museum by Captain King, is one inch long, and eight-tenths of an inch high; but there is another specimen in the collection, from the Tankerville cabinet (Number 288) which is twice that size
11. Cytherea gibba.
Cytherea gibbia, Lam. Hist. 5 577.
Icon. Chemn. 7 t. 39. f. 415. 416
12. Petricola rubra ? Cardium rubrum ? Montague
This shell agrees in general form, teeth, and colour, with the Cardium rubrum of Montagu, but it is larger. It was found imbedded in the seaweed and spongy-like substance that covers the Tridacna squamosa
13. Chama limbula, Lam. Hist. 6 95
This shell may, perhaps, be a variety of Chama gryphoides
14. Tridacna gigas, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1. 105.
Chama Gigas, Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1 3299.
Icon. Chemn. 7 t. 49. f. 495. Ency. Meth. plate 235. f. 1
15. Pectunculus radians ? Lam. Hist. 6 54
16. Arca scapha, Lam. Hist. 6 42.
Icon. Chemn. 7 201. t. 55. f. 548. Ency. Meth. plate 306. f. 1. a, b
17. Mytilus erosus, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 120
This shell was described by Lamarck from some New Holland specimens, that were probably collected by Peron in Baudin's voyage. It is remarkable for being very thick and solid, and of a fine dark colour, with only a narrow white band on the anterior basal edge. The edge is crenated, and the muscular impressions are very distinct, and raised above the surface, particularly that on the anterior valve, which is both pellucid and tubercular
18. Modiola (Tulipa ?) australis, Nob.
Modiola tulipa, var. 1. Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 111
This Australian species will most probably prove to be distinct from the American kind; but the specimen before me does not afford sufficient materials to separate it, since there is only one water-worn valve in the collection. It is not so distinctly rayed as M. tulipa, and the inside is entirely of a brilliant pearly purple, except near the anterior basal edge
19. Lithophagus caudatus, nob.
Modiola caudigera, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 116.
Icon. Ency. Meth. plate 221. f. 8. a, b
20. Meleagrina albida, var. a. Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 152
This appears to be a distinct species from those found in the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies, but the difference is not easy to describe. The specimens before me, which are small, differ materially from some of the same size among the American species. The outside is of a dull greenish-purple colour, with a few distant membranaceous laminae which are only slightly lobed, and not extended into long processes like those of Avicula radiata (Zool. Misc. 1. t. 43.) which is the young of the American kind. The internal pearly coat has a bright yellow tinge
21. Spondylus radians ? Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 192.
Icon. Chemn. Conch. 7 t. 45. f. 469. 470. Ency. Meth. plate 191. f. 5.
22. Pecten maximus ? Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 163.
Ostrea maxima, Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1 3315.
Icon. Chemn. Conch. 7 t. 60. f. 585. Ency. Meth. plate 209. f. 1. a, b.
The shell before me is probably distinct from the above species, but is too much worn down to be separated from it; in its present state it seems to agree tolerably well with the species to which it has been referred.
23. Pecten asperrimus, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 174.
This beautiful species was originally found by MM. Peron and Lesueur on the coast of Van Diemen's Land.
24. Lima minuta (n.s.)
Testa ovato-oblonga valde tumida clausa radiatim costata, costis transverse costato-striatis, auriculis minutis, margine crenato.
This shell, which was brought up by the deep sea sounding-lead, being only one-sixth of an inch long, and one-fourth high, is the smallest species of the genus. It is white, ovate, oblong, turned and closed at the ends; the surface is deeply radiately ribbed; the ribs are concentrically rib-striated, which gives their sides a denticulated appearance; the edge is crenulated, and the umbones are acute, a small distance apart, and nearly in the centre of the hinge margin, which is straight.
25. Pinna dolabrata, Lam. Hist. 6 pt. 1 133.
Pinna bicolor, Chemn. Conch. Cab. t. 90. f. 234.
Icon. Chemn. 8 t. 90. f. 780 ?
The shell, figured by Chemnitz, appears to be a variety of this species with the anterior end uncurved, which has most probably been caused by some injury on the anterior basal edge.
The species is peculiar for its yellow pearly internal coat, and purplish rays.