SOLEN. 359 



end of the shelly and these he projects through the soft 

 sand, for the evident purpose of mamtaining a constant 

 communication with the water. 



Without these admirable appendages, the Solen could 

 neither moor himself to the nearest rock, like his relative, 

 the Oyster, nor rise upon his foot, nor raise himself from 

 the ground. These inabilities are made up to him by the 

 mantle and the breathing-tubes, and, above all, by the 

 cylindrical leg, which enables him to bore into the sand. 

 In each of these, there is a deviation from the usual 

 construction of shell-lish, — obviously on account of the 

 peculiar habits of the animal. 



Considerable numbers are found in the European and 

 northern seas, and especially on the coast of Normandy. 

 Among these, a gigantic variety furnished, according to the 

 legends of Scandinavia, a handle for the dagger of the 

 Gaulish Cupid, who was armed with an enchanted cuirass, 

 instead of a bow and quiver. Hence it is related, that 

 when the queen of beauty descended on the Gallic coast, . 

 in quest of pearls for her own dress and a knife-handle for 

 her son, a Triton, instigated by the envious Thetis, stole 

 her apple from the rock, and bore it to the goddess of the 

 sea ; Thetis immediately broke asunder the golden prize, 



