282 MALACOZOA. TROPIOFODA. LAMELLIBEANCHIATA. 



one valve, one in the other. Ligament external, elon- 

 gated. 



The Solens reside in sand or mud, in a perpendicular 

 position, with the posterior end uppermost. They are 

 among the most agreeable of all shell-fish as food. From 

 a fancied resemblance of the shell to the case of a razor, 

 they are commonly named Razor-shells. 



1. Solen Siliqua. Razor-case Solen. 



Shell extremely elongated, slender, straight, truncate at both 

 ends, with a thin olivaceous epidermis ; the valves convex, 

 anteriorly slightly rounded, posteriorly obliquely truncate, each 

 with an elongated triangular space extending from the hinge 

 to the posterior margin, and on which the epidermis is generally 

 abraded ; the surface of the shell white, more or less variegated 

 with reddish, and striated transversely to the general direction ; 

 the hinge close to the anterior extremity, with two incurved 

 teeth in the left valve, a small compressed tooth received be- 

 tween them in the right, and a posterior elongated obsolete 

 tooth in each valve. Length about nine inches, breadth an 

 inch and a-quarter. 



Common along the sandy coast, and frequently cast on the 

 beach. 



Concha fuscalougissima, angustissimaque. Lister, Anim. Angl. 

 192. PI. 5. f. 37.— Solen Siliqua. Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 1113.— Solen 

 Siliqua. Pemi. Brit. Zool. iv. 83. PL 45. f. 20.— Solen Siliqua. 

 Flem. Brit. Anim. 459.— Solen Siliqua. Turt. Brit. Biv. 80. PI. 6. 

 f. 5. — Solen Siliqua. Lamk. Syst. v. 451 ; Ed. 2. vi. 55, — Solen 

 Siliqua. Mont. Test. Brit. 46. 



2. Solen Ensls. Salre-case Solen. 



Shell extremely elongated, slender, subrearcuate, truncato- 

 rotundate at both ends, with a thin olivaceous epidermis ; the 

 valves convex, anteriorly rounded, posteriorly subtruncate, 

 each with an elongated triangular space extending from the 

 hinge to the posterior margin, and on which the epidermis is 

 generally abraded, the surface of the shell white, more or less 

 variegated with reddish, and having the striae transverse to 

 the general direction ; the hinge close to the anterior extremity, 

 with two small, but thick, approximated, incurved teeth in the 

 left valve, a small compressed tooth received between them in 

 the other, and in each valve a posterior elongated tooth, that 



