108 MOLLUSC A. 



SOLEN, Lin. 



The shell only bivalve, oblong or elongated, but the hinge always 

 furnished with salient and well marked teeth, and the ligament ex- 

 ternal. In the 



SOLEN, Cuv., 



Or the Solens properly so called, the shell is cylindrically elon- 

 gated, and has two or three teeth in each valve near the anterior 

 extremity, where the foot issues, The latter is conical, and enables 

 the animal to bury itself in the sand, which it excavates with con- 

 siderable rapidity on the approach of danger. 



Several species are found along the coast of France *. 



We might distinguish those species in which the teeth approxi- 

 mate to the middle; some of them still have a long arid narrow 

 shell f. 



In others it is wider and shorter ; their foot is extremely thick. 

 Two of the latter inhabit the Mediterranean J. In 



SANGUINOLARIA, Lam., 



The hinge is nearly the same as in the wide Solens, and has two 

 teeth in the middle of each valve ; but the two latter, which are oval, 

 are much closer at the two extremities, where they merely gape, like 

 certain Mactrae . 



PSAMMOBIA, Lam. 



The Psammobiee differs from the Sanguinolariae, in having but a 

 single tooth in the middle of one valve, which penetrates between 

 two on the opposite one.|| 



PSAMMOTHEA, Lam. 



But a single tooth to each valve ; otherwise resembling the Psam- 

 mobheH. 



PHOLAS, Lin. 



The Pholades have two broad valves, convex towards the mouth, 



* Solcn ragina, Chcmn., VI, iv, 26 28 ; S. siliqua, Ib., 29 ; S. cnsis, Ib., 30; 

 S. mavimus, Ib., v, 35 ; S. cultdlus, Ib., 37. 



f Solcn leyumen, Chemn., VI, v, 32, 34. 



J Solen striyilatus, Chemn., VI, vi, 41, 43; S. radiatus, Id., v, 3840; S. 

 minimus, Ib., 31 ; S. coarctatus, vi, 45 ; S. vcspertinus, Id., vii, 60. These two 

 divisions have become the genus SOLECURTE of M. de Blainville. 



Solen sanguinolentus, Chemn., VI, vii, 56; S. roseus, Ib., 55. 



|| Tellini (/art, L., Poli, 15, 23; Solen vespertinus, Chemn., VI, 7, 59; 

 Psammobia maculosa, Lam., Egypt., Coq. pi. 8, f. 1 ; Psamm. elonyaiu, Lam., 

 Egypt., pi. 8, f. 2. 



^j Psammothea violacea, Lam., &c. 



N. B. These two genera arc united in one by M. de Blainville, culled PSAMMOCOJLA. 

 On the whole, they differ but very slightly from the Sangninolariae. Great care is 

 requisite in studying the shell, as the teeth are generally broken. 



