Habitat.— San Diego, Cal., northward.
This large scallop has a companion in the Californian cap shell (Capulus Californicus, Da11) which clings to the under valve, at the left of the hinge, close to the byssal notch. White within, dingy brown and shaggy without, it may well be mis taken for a wad of dead seaweed clinging to the larger shell. It is about an inch and a half long.
The Spear Scallop (P. hastatus, Sby.) is ovate, with comb like rows of spines on each of the ten most prominent ribs. These are worn off of the right valve. The colours are vivid; red, pur ple and yellow in different shades are seen. Free-swimming forms, alike on both valves, and spineless, are local forms. The young are spineless.
The animal alive in an aquarium shows not only the beauty of its rosy shell set with rows of spears. The body is a rich orange colour, set on the mantle margin with black eyes. The flesh is so transparent that the action of the heart and other organs can be seen by removing one valve. Young specimens can attach themselves at will to the stems of seaweed. Thus they rest when tired of swimming.
This deep sea species seems to correspond in its characters to P. I slandicus. Diame.. I to 2 inches.
Habitat.— California.
The Broad-eared Scallop (P. lati-auratus, Conr.) has un equal ears almost as broad' as the fragile, oblique, fluted shell. The brown or orange surface is crossed by zigzag streaks of white. Diameter, 1 inch. Southern California.
417 The Scallops. Comb Shells The Japanese Scallop (P. Japonicus, Lam.) exhibits the peculiarity of a smooth, polished exterior, and a series of strong radiating ribs inside. There are fine concentric lines of dark red spaced with hair lines of white .on the flat left valve which is uppermost. The two gape below the small, dark ears. The
interior is white, with a soft lustre, and a rim of bright yellow. Diameter, 4 to 5 inches. Japan.
The Scallop (P. varius, Linn.) ought to be mentioned for it is seen in many American cabinets and always attracts attention. The arching valves are scored into twenty to thirty sharp ridges, uniform and armed with prickly scales, that sometimes broaden into horny plates. Colours and mark ings are indeed various, as the name implies. Reds of many shades, clear yellows, rich orange and browns, and dull grays are seen, each shell one-coloured, and obscurely mottled with white. In a few specimens two or more colours are combined, but usually not. Almost black specimens occur. The ears are very unequal, the byssal notch large. This scallop retains through life the habit of attaching itself at will. Its favourite station is a branch of the seaweed Laminaria. Diameter, 1 to 2 inches.
The Scallop (P. giganteus, Gray) begins life as a free, symmetrical and very pretty little scallop, changes its mind later, settles down, like the hunchback, to a hard life that warps its growth and destroys all its beauty. De France assigned it to a separate genus, Hinnites. But two living species are known; one of them is ours.
The adult shell is attached by its left valve, perhaps to the inside of an old abalone shell. Its valves are oblong with fine, irregular ribs beset with short thorns. The ears, always unequal, extend in two-lobed, shapeless flaps from the beaks. The valves attain surprising thickness; the sculpture becomes coarse and the colour fades. Two things survive the wreck of time. The oldest, most battered veteran the waves cast ashore shows still unimpaired at its hinge the perfect little infant shell, with a dis tinct boundary set when the erratic life began. The second striking character is the bright purple colour about the hinge area inside. This spot appeared when the free life ended, and it broadened and brightened as age increased. Length, 3 to 5 inches.
418