23 



Spout-fish. They are found upon most sandy shores, buried about a foot or 

 two below the surface, and near to low-water mark. Their place is known 

 by a small hole in the sand. As it is rather a laborious operation to dig them 

 out, Bosc informs us that the fishermen in France throw a small pinch of 

 salt into their holes, which always remain open by the action of the respitary 

 organs; that they speedily rise to the surface, and are thrown out by an iron 

 instrument made for the purpose. The fishermen believe it is the salt they 

 wish to avoid; but it is conjectured, with greater probability, that the presence 

 of the salt water, which is thus formed by the solution of the salt, makes the 

 animal suppose that its hole is again covered with the tide. This shell 

 fish was esteemed by the ancients as a great delicacy. When boiled or 

 fried, it is certainly a palatable morsel. If kept a few days, it forms an 

 excellent bait for haddock or cod, and may be employed for that purpose in 

 a fresh state. 



Most species of the Solens are covered with a thin cuticle or epidermis, 

 which renders the colors beneath more or less obscure. 



DIVISION I. Shell linear. 



Scientific name. 



Vagina, 



Trimeatus, 



Novacula, 



Siliqua, 



Linearis, 



Locality. 

 Britain, 



Am. and Ind. Seas, 

 Wales, 

 Europe, 

 Indian Seas, 



Scientific name. 

 Ensis, 

 Pellucidus, 

 Legumen, 

 Cultellus, 



Locality. 

 Europe, 

 Britain, 



Mediterranean, 

 Ceylon. 



DIVISION II. Shell ovate or oblong. 



The shells of this division present but little beauty, with the exception of 

 the S. oriens, S. radiatus, S. roseus, and a few others, which have a fine 

 pink color, or are delicately arrayed with purple and white. 



Antiquatus, 



Gigas, 



Magnus, 



Minimus, 



Guineensis, 



Inflexis, 



Diphos, 



Radiatus, 



Strigilatus, 



Coarctatus, 



Fragilis, 



Anatinus, 



Roseus, 



Britain, 



N. W. C. of America, 



Indian Isles, 



Tranquebar, 



Guinea, 



Indian Ocean, 

 China, Amboyna, 

 Mediterranean, 

 Nicobar Isles, Britain, 



U ft u 



Coromandel Coast, 

 Red Sea, 



Striatus, 



Castrensis, 



Biradiatus, 



Sanguinolentus, 



Oriens, 



Occidens, 



Amethystus, 



Variegatus, 



Bullatus, 



Minutus, 



Virens, 



Squamosus, 



Vespertinus, 



Indian Seas, 

 Guinea Coast, 

 South Seas, 

 West Indies, 

 China, 

 Ceylon, 

 Indian Seas, 



E. W. Indies, 



Britain, N. of Europe, 



Coast of Java, 



Devonshire, 



Eu. and Med. Seas. 



