90 



THE SOLEN. 



each extremity. Such are the lutraria, the solen, the 

 pholas, and the teredo. In the lutraria, the posterior 

 orifice between the valves is very large, and gives 

 passage to a double tube of considerable size ; one the 

 respiratory canal, the other for the rejection of the 

 digested element : from the anterior fissure is pro- 

 truded the foot, which is small and compressed. The 

 shell of the solen is long and cylindrical, open at both 

 ends, the double tube being protruded from the poste- 

 rior orifice, the foot from the anterior, near which on 

 the back edge of the valves 

 (see the annexed figure) are 

 two or three tooth-like promi- 

 nences fitting into each other. 

 The rapidity with which the 

 solen, or razor-shell, (called by 

 the French, manche de cou- 

 teau, or knife-handle,) can bur- 

 row into the sand, is very re- 

 markable ; its foot is the in- 

 strument employed for this 

 purpose ; and the depth to 

 which the animal penetrates, 

 is often several feet, baffling 

 all endeavours to capture it. 



'fW 



% 



The Solen. 



Its foot is of a cyli 



