Thomas Wyatt

“ Some species of this genus are very beautiful; they are frequently worn as ornaments by the Indians.
Shell solid, thick, more or less globular, flat beneath, spire but little, if at all, projecting, not umbilicated; aperture large, semilunar, very entire; the external margin very much hollowed; the internal or columellar straight, sharp, and shaped like a partition, often dentated; operculum horny or calcareous, sub-spiral; the summit entirely marginal at its extremity, implanted by teeth more or less marked, and sunk in the columellar margin, on which it seems articulated. ”

“ Six species. This genus was so called from the resemblance of its testaceous covering to a coat of mail. The form of the Chiton is very similar to a well-known insect called the woodlouse, found in decayed timber; it generally adheres to rocks, or lies rolled up like a ball among seaweed and stones. In length it seldom exceeds an inch, except in tropical climates, where they are sometimes three or four inches long. In general there are eight valves, the termination of which is surrounded by a scaly or rough ligament, which enables the animal to expand or contract its shell freely. ”

“ Varices, longitudinal ribs in univalve shells.
Variety, is when one species differs some little degree from that of another.
Vaulted, like the roof of one’s mouth.
Venter, the belly, situated in the body of the shell; being the most prominent part when the aperture is turned to the observer.
Ventral, belonging to the belly.
Ventricose, inflated, swelled in the middle.
Vermiform, worm-shaped.
Vertex, in the Patella the top or most prominent part, situated in general nearly in the middle. In the genus Bulla it is used for the apex. ”

“ There are not, perhaps, two species that have absolutely the same hinge.
The Donax is found buried deep in the sand of the seashore, with the short side uppermost.
Shell sub-trigonal, greater in length than in height, equivalve, very inequilateral; posterior side much shorter than the anterior; summits almost vertical; hinge complex, similar; two cardinal teeth in one or both valves; one or two remote lateral teeth on each valve; ligament posterior, short, and inflated; two rounded muscular impressions. ”

“ The Hammer. Six species. A shell of a singular form, resembling a pickaxe, found only in the Indian and Australian Seas; there are two species, the white and the black, both of which, when in fine preservation, are highly esteemed, but the white is more rare and valuable.
Shell sub-nacreous, irregular, rugged, sub-equivalve, inequilateral, generally auricled before and prolonged behind, so as to be in form like a hammer; summit entirely anterior; between them and the inferior auricle, an oblique cut or slope for the passage of the byssus; hinge linear, elongated, without teeth ”

“ Eighty-eight species. This genus of shells is numerous and varied. It surpasses all bivalve shells in beauty, and is in form very like the Cytherea, but easily distinguished by the hinge, which almost invariably contains three approximate teeth, and a lateral tooth diverging to the summit. The internal margin of the valves is crenated or dentated, with or without lamellar striæ.
The shells are of the most beautiful and lively tints; the exterior as well as the interior colouring is of almost every possible shade and hue. ”

“ Shell, when full grown and mature, is solid, oval, convex, very smooth, involute; the spire entirely posterior, very small, often concealed by a calcareous layer deposited by the lobes of the mantle, leaving in some species a small cavity like an umbilicus; aperture longitudinal, very narrow, slightly curved, as long as the shell, with edges internally dentated, and notched at each extremity. ”

“ Succinea. Three species. A terrestrial shell, though the animal that inhabits it is almost amphibious; it greatly resembles the Bulimus, but is easily distinguished by never having the lip reflected or thickened.
Shell very thin, translucid, ovate-oblong, with a conical-pointed spire formed of a small number of whorls; aperture very large, oval, oblique; the edges disunited; the right always acute, the left acute and arched, formed by the columella. ”

“ We cannot expect that the work now presented to the public is free from imperfections; but we ask for their lenity and kind forbearance to excuse whatever defects there may be in our humble attempts to advance the cause of science. ”

“ The ligament is altogether internal; it is without ears, and the prolonged beak so conspicuous in that genus. The Plicatula has the faculty of affixing itself to another body, so that many are found grouped together in clusters. The valves are strongly plaited within and without, closely interlocking with each other.
Shell solid, adhering, sub-irregular, without ears, inequivalve, pointed at the summit, rounded and plaited behind; hinge with two strong teeth in each valve, with a cavity between them, in which the ligament is internally inserted. ”

“ Bulla. The Bubble. Eleven species. The great confusion that existed in this genus, as classed by Linnæus, has been elucidated by the division and classification of Lamarck. This genus derived its name from the resemblance which some of the smaller species have to a bubble of water. Its shells are found in almost all parts of the world.
Shell external, oval, involuted; aperture very large, open the whole length of the shell, and generally wider at the base; outer edge sharp and smooth; summit umbilicated. ”

“ Shell thick, sub-involute, diconic, or ventricose, terminated like a cone before and behind; aperture very long, narrow, terminated anteriorly by a canal more or less elongated, recurved; the edges parallel; the external dilating with age, offering behind a gutter at its attachment to the spire, and before a sinus more posterior than the canal, through which passes the head of the animal; operculum horny, long, and narrow, with elements as if imbricated; the summit terminal. ”

“ The Pinnæ often grow to a large size; they are sometimes found standing erect in the smooth-water bays, with the base of the shell uppermost, but generally affixed by the byssus to rocks and other sub-marine bodies. The filaments that compose the byssus are so tough and strong that the shells are not easily detached.
Shell fibrous, fragile, regular, equivalve, longitudinal, triangular, base gaping and as if truncated; summit pointed and straight; hinge dorsal, longitudinal, linear, and without teeth; marginal ligament occupying almost the whole of the dorsal edge of the shell ”

“ It is seldom, if ever, attached to other bodies. Shell more finely lamellated than that of the oyster, free or slightly adherent, sub-equilateral, very inequivalve; the lower valve very concave, with a summit more or less recurved like a hook; the upper valve much smaller, and formed like a lid; hinge without teeth; ligament inserted in an oblong arched cavity; one single muscular impression on each valve. ”

“ They are produced abundantly in almost every sea and in many rivers, but the finest species are found in the pearl-fisheries of Ceylon.
The usual form of the Tellina is broad at one end and gradually tapering towards the other. It derives its name from the Greek word τελειω, to bring to a termination.
Shell of variable form, generally striated longitudinally and very compressed; equivalve, more or less inequilateral; anterior side longer and more rounded than the posterior; offers a flexuous plait or twist at the inferior margin; summits little marked; hinge similar; one or two cardinal teeth ”

“ Six species. When Linnæus formed this genus and named it Anomia, he probably did so from its having no determinate character. Its common name was given it by the fancied resemblance of some of its species to an antique lamp. Like the oyster, they seldom leave their place; they are always affixed to marine bodies by an osseous operculum, formed by the thick extremity of the animal’s muscle. The lower valve is perforated and smaller, conforming to the shape of the substance to which it is affixed.
Shell adhering, irregular, inequivalve, inequilateral, ostraceous ”

“ Shell transverse, inequilateral, surrounded with a thick epidermis; rather solid; edges thin and sharp; summits but little marked; hinge dissimilar; one or two large, compressed, spoon-shaped teeth rising perpendicularly from the plane of the left valve, and fitting into the entrance of a primary cavity in the right valve; ligament interior, attaching the tooth and cavity; two distant muscular impressions; the anterior long and narrow, the posterior rounded; the mantle impression narrow, with a large sinus or hollow. ”

“ Arcacea. Four genera. 1. Cucullæa. One species. Distinguished from the Arca by the muscular impression within, to one side of which is an ear-shaped testaceous appendage; the shell is more trapeziform, and the hinge by age becomes obsolete, giving the teeth a more horizontal appearance.
Shell equivalve, inequilateral, trapeziform, heart-shaped; beaks distant, and separated by the angular groove of the ligament, which is altogether external; hinge linear, straight, with small transverse teeth, having at its extremity from two to five parallel ribs ”

“ Ten species. Shell elongated oval, very thin, fragile, semipellucid; much inflated at one end like a duck’s bill, whence it derives its common name; equivalve, very inequilateral; hinge toothless; the anterior side rounded and much longer than the posterior; ligament interior affixed to a bony spoonlike process in each valve, and sustained by a lateral plate running obliquely into the interior of the shell. ”

“ Species in which the right edge is not thickened or dentated, and with each extremity elongated, producing a long, straight tube, which increases with age. One of the most rare shells of this genus.
O. oviformis. The egg-shaped Ovula. Pl. 34, fig. 1.
Species ovate, much inflated, ventricose in the centre, very glossy and white; right edge dentated, the tube of each extremity very prominent; interior of aperture reddish purple.
O. gibbosa. The belted Ovula. Pl. 34, fig. 2.
Species gibbous, neither end dentated; tubes little marked, and with the body of the shell encircled by a blunt keel. ”

“ Crassatella. Eleven species. May be easily known from the Mactra and Lutraria, as the valves, when closed, fit exactly, and do not gape. It is remarkable that all the living species contained in this genus only exist in the seas of Australasia, while at least seven species in a fossil state are found in France.
Shell inequilateral, sub-orbicular, close, equivalve, sometimes attenuated at one end; two divergent primary teeth, with a cavity at the side; lateral teeth obsolete; ligament internal, inserted in the cavity of the hinge. ”

“ The striæ are mostly transverse, and the ridges longitudinal.
The valves which compose the operculum or lid vary in shape, and are in number two, three, four, or more; they are generally attached to a ligament.
They are seldom, if ever, found detached, but adhere in groups to rocks, shells, anchors, marine animals, &c. Those that fix themselves to ships are generally called barnacles; they rapidly increase in size and number, do great damage, and greatly impede the progress of the vessel. ”

“ The Solen is found in the sand of the seashore, which it sometimes penetrates to the depth of one or two feet. Most of the species are covered with an epidermis, which renders their colours more or less obscure. ”

“ Convoluta. Six genera. 1. Ovula. The Egg. 12 species. This is the first genus of Lamarck’s arrangement of convoluted shells; it is nearly allied to the Cypræa, but easily distinguished from it by the want of spire, and by not having teeth on the columellar lip; the right lip is reflected inwardly, sometimes wrinkled and sometimes smooth.
Shell oblong, convex, resembling the Cypræa in form, with the two extremities of the aperture notched, and more or less prolonged like a tube; the left margin dentated. ”

“ Species sub-orbicular, with radiated or divergent, prominent, and somewhat scaly ribs; inside pearly; margin crenellated.
2. Castalia. One species. This genus is found in fresh waters, and differs from the Trigonia in the number and position of the lamellar teeth. The substance of the shell is pearly.
Shell sub-trigonal, equivalve, inequilateral; umbones eroded, covered with epidermis, and inflected anteriorly; hinge with two lamellar teeth, transversely striated, one of them posterior, distant, and shortened, the other anterior, lengthened, and lateral; ligament exterior. ”