I always look for books on shelling at yard sales and auctions.  I have a
book called  THE SHELL BOOK by Julia Ellen Rogers printed in 1937.
     In this book I found an entry in the chapter on the family
Pinnidae ( my special interest is Pen Shells) for a specimen called
Oldroyd's Pen Shell, (P. [Atrina] Oldroydii, Dall) that states that a
solitary specimen, was taken up alive from a depth of twenty-five fathoms by
fisherman in San Pedro Bay.  They brought it to  Mr. and Mrs. Oldroyd, of
Long Beach California, who recognized it as the first member of its genus
reported from this part of the world.  This remarkable "find" was nine inches
long, and  nearly black,  the lining  gray with some iridescence.  Dr. Dall
published the description if it in 1901.  This entry taken from page 402.
        Does anyone know if this shell was renamed?  Have more of these
shells been found.  I wonder whatever happened to it?  Was this a rare shell?
 
 
Elizabeth Brown
9359 Fountainbleu Blvd,  F-107
Miami, FL  33172
USA