Verse Spisula Elliptica (Brown) aan onze kust

The distribution of Spisula elliptica (Brown) in the Netherlands This communication mentions localities of recent Spisula elliptica (Brown) along the Netherlands’ coast and also shortly summarizes the general distribution in this country. The distribution is still very imperfectly known and until recently the species was believed to occur only as (sub)fossil, odd valves washed ashore. However, it appears to live at some distance off the coast, where it has been recorded from three localities. viz.: Zuiderhaaks ('S .W. of the isle of Texel, northern isles; no. 6 & 7), Texelse Stenen (W. of the isle of Texel; no. 11) and at 51° 53' N.B. 3° 30' O.L», N.17. of the isle of Schouwen (southern isles; no. 8). The records of Zuiderhaaks and Schouwen certainly belong to our fauna.- • It has been found washed ashore in a fresh condition on the isle of Texel (nos. 9 & 10) and at Scheveningen (W. of The Hague, some 10 miles N. of Hook of Holland), in the latten locality as small, odd valves in deposits of fine material (nos. 4 & 5). There are three records from the 19th century (nos. 1-3), two of them referring to material from the deeper parts of the Ooster-Schelde (Roompot) and Wester-Schelde (Wielingen), southern estuary, and one of Noordwijk, some 20 miles N. of Hook .of Holland.,, but without further particulars as whether the specimens • have beon.found washed ashore or if they were- obtained from fishermen. Apart from this distribution (sub)fossil, odd valves are washed ashore all along our coast, often in considerable quantities (numbers) and with the exception of their natural colours, in an almost perfect condition. They are usually lightor dark brown, sometimes dark bluish and ornamented with coloured-bands, the inside being often quite glossy and the muscle scars pronounced in such a way, that they are more readily visible than in fresh material! A form of tertia-ry origin is reported-from the beaches of Walcheren and Noord-Beveland (southern isles). It differs from the material mentioned above by its large size, its more. elliptical shape and the decidedly wörn appearance of the valves. R.M. van Urk, c/o Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden.