As given by Lamarck, is a natural and well-defined family. It is too
well known to require description. It fixes itself to other bodies by
the laminæ of the whole surface of one valve, and generally remains
immoveable, exhibiting no other signs of life other than that of opening
its valves to receive nutriment.
Shell irregular, inequivalve, inequilateral, exterior roughly
foliaceous, interior somewhat pearly; the left or inferior valve larger,
deeper, and adhesive, its summit prolonging with age in a sort of heel,
the right or superior valve smaller, more or less in the form of a lid;
hinge without teeth; ligament short, sub-interior, inserted in an oblong
cardinal cavity, increasing with the summit; muscular impression single
and sub-central.
Ostrea edulis.
O. hippopus.
O. borealis.
O. Adriatica.
O. cochlear.
O. cristata.
O. gallina.
O. numisma.
O. lingua.
O. tulipa.
O. Brisiliana.
O. scabra.
O. rostralis.
O. parasitica.
O. denticulata.
O. spathulata.
O. cornucopiæ.
O. cucullata.
O. doridella.
O. rubella.
O. limacella.
O. ruscuriana.
O. Virginica.
O. Canadensis.
O. excavata.
O. mytiloides.
O. sinuata.
O. trapezina.
O. tuberculata.
O. rufa.
O. margaritacea.
O. gibbosa.
O. Australis.
O. elliptica.
O. haliotidæa.
O. deformis.
O. fucorum.
O. plicatula.
O. glaucina.
O. fusca.
O. turbinata.
O. crista-galli.
O. erucella.
O. folium.
O. labrella.
O. imbricata.
O. hyotis.
O. radiata.
_O. edulis._ The eatable Oyster. Pl. 16, fig. 5.
Species orbicular, and not plaited; rugged, with undulated, imbricated
scales; one valve flat and the other convex; variable in size; outside
greenish brown, inside pearly white, sometimes with a bluish tinge.
_O. Virginica._ The Virginian Oyster.
Species longitudinal and not plaited.
_O. imbricata._ The imbricated Oyster.
Species orbicular and plaited.
_O. crista-galli._ The Cock’s-comb Oyster.
Species strongly plaited longitudinally.