CONCHOLOGV, 29 



FAMILY III. 



SoLENiDEs. Four genera. 

 1. Solen. Eighteen species. 



There are many species belonging to this genus differing 

 considerably in form and appearance. Its name is derived 

 from a Greek word signifying a pipe or tube. It is a bivalve 

 whose breadth sometimes exceeds its length ; some species 

 have a resemblance to the sheath of a razor or a knife han- 

 dle ; others are curved like the scabbard of a cimeter. 



The Solen is found in the sand of the seashore, which it 

 sometimes penetrates to the depth of one or two feet. 

 Most of the species are covered with an epidermis, which 

 renders their colours more or less obscure. In general they 

 present but little beauty, though some are of a bright pink 

 colour, and some are beautifully and dehcately radiated with 

 purple and white. 



The principal characteristic of this genus is the hinge, 

 which generally has one subulate tooth, though sometimes 

 two or three. 



Shell equivalve, extremely inequilateral, transversely elon- 

 gated, open at both ends ; the apices very small, and entirely 

 at the commencement of the dorsal line ; one or two teeth 

 in the hinge ; hgament external ; two distant muscular im- 

 pressions ; the anterior one very long and narrow, the pos- 

 terior one sub-angular. 



Solen vagina. Solen vaginoides. 



S. corneus. S. siliqua. 



S. ensis. S. cultellus. 



S. pygmagus. S. planus. 



S. ambiguus. S. minutus. 



S. Dombeii. S. constrictus. 



S. Javanicus. S. coarctatus. 



S. Caribaeus. S. rostratus. 



S. antiquatus, S. violaceus. 



