SOLENID^l. — RAZOR-SHELL. 41 



all of one colour, but the female fish is all of one colour, 

 and much sweeter than the male; and they are eaten 

 boiled and fried, but they are best of all when roasted 

 on the coals till their shells open. And the people who 

 collect this sort of oyster are called solenista, as Phsenias 

 the Eresian relates in his book which is entitled c The 

 Killing of Tyrants by way of Punishment;' where he 

 speaks as follows : — ( Philoxenus, who was called the 

 Solenist, became a tyrant from having been a dema- 

 gogue. In the beginning he got his living by being a 

 fisherman, and a hunter after solens ; and so, having 

 made a little money, he advanced and got a good pro- 

 perty/ " 



On some parts of our shores great quantities of razor- 

 shells are collected, sometimes by putting a little salt 

 on the holes, which irritates the fish and makes it rise 

 to the surface; and again in the following manner, as 

 described by Messrs. Forbes and Hanley : — " A long 

 narrow wire, bent and sharpened at the end, is suddenly 

 thrust into the hollows of the sands indicative of the 

 presence of these animals, and, passing between the 

 valves, the barbed portion fixes itself, on retraction, in 

 the animal, and forces it to the surface." At Tenby 

 baskets-full are often brought to the door, and they are 

 considered very good to eat. In Japan they are said to 

 be so highly prized that, by the express order of the 

 prince of that country, " it is forbid to fish them, until a 

 sufficient quantity hath been provided for the emperor's 

 table."* 



In the Bay of Concepcion are several species of shell- 

 fish highly esteemed, and Ulloa especially mentions some 

 Venuses and a number of razor-shells. 



* ' Glimpses of Ocean Life,' by John Harper, F.R.S. 



