104 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



fishermen. They are both useful for the same purposes — 

 bait and food. Forbes and Hanley tell us that it is eaten both 

 in Britain and North America. It is more common in England 

 than Mya arenaria, but the reverse is certainly the case with 

 us. It is an important article of food to the Cod, being found 

 in their stomachs in great numbers, especially on the New- 

 foundland Banks. 



25. Soleii eusis Linnseus. 



Var. Americana Gould. 



Ensa.tella Americana Verrill. 



Razor-shell, Razor-fish, Long Clam, Knife-handle. 



Mic-mac, Sasabegwit, pi. Sasabegwidul. 



\_Solen, the ancient name ; ensis, a kind of sword, a scimitar.] 



Distribution. («) General; — Low-water mark to twenty- 

 fathoms. Florida to Labrador. 



{h) In Acadia; — (inN. B,) Grand Manan, at low water, in 

 sand, rare, Stim2)Son. Eastport, Gould. Bay of Fundy, Verrill. 

 Passamaquoddy Bay, Ganong. Shediac, WJiiteaves. (In N. 

 S.) Sandy shores, whole coast, Jones. St. Mary's Bay^ 

 Verhrnzen. (In P. E. I.) Common in Northumberland 

 Straits, Dawson. Probably to be found everywhere on the 

 shores of Acadia where there is sand and clear water, though 

 nowhere very abundant. 



Habits. We have upon our shores no Mollusc so strikingly distinct) 

 from all others as thi.s. Its parallel slightly curving sides and squarely 

 truncated ends are found in no other of our shells, and they give it a 

 shape vrhich fully justifies the names of "Razor-shell" and "Knife- 

 handle," by which it is commonly known. It grows to a length of about 

 six inches, though eight inches is not imknown. The young animal is- 

 covered with a shining greenish-yellow epidermis, which partly disap- 

 pears in old shells, leaving the latter a dull chalky white. At one end 

 (the posterior) project slightly two short fringed tubes — united below 

 their tips. At the other (anterior) end projects the powerful " foot" by 

 which the animal is enabled to burrow so rapidly in the sand. These- 

 burrows are found only near extreme low-water mark. They are two to 

 three feet deep, and so rapidly can the animals travel down them that 



