18 EDIBLE BRITISH MOLLUSC A. 



then take them out of their shells, and fry them with 

 butter or lard. Add a little salt and pepper. 



Another way to cook Solens. — Stew them in milk till 

 they are tender, add pepper and salt ; butter is a great 

 addition. 



The razor-fish is much prized on the Scotch coast, 

 where it is merely boiled, and eaten with salt and 

 pepper. Poli says that it is good either raw, or fried 

 with breadcrumbs, pepper, oil, and lemon -juice. 



Fam. TELLINDLE. 

 PSAMMOBIA. 



Psammobia Vespertina, Chemnitz. The Setting Sun. 

 — Shell of an oblong oval shape, equivalve, rather 

 flattened, opaque, colour whitish, shading to a reddish 

 yellow at the beaks, with radiating rays of carmine 

 and purplish pink ; epidermis of an olivaceous brown ; 

 ligament external, prominent, and of a horn-colour; 

 beaks small ; teeth, two in each valve ; in the left 

 valve, one tooth bifid. 



The TellinidcB are but rarely used for food in this 

 country, though several species are used for that pur- 

 pose abroad. With us the Psammobia vespertina is 

 stated by Dr. J. G-. Jeffreys* to be eaten by the 

 peasantry at Kenmare, and heaps of their shells may 

 be seen round the huts. 



Mr. Damon informed me that this pretty shell is 

 dredged duriug the summer months in Bantry Bay, 

 all the boats being then engaged in dredging sand and 



* • British Conchology,' vol. ii p. 400. 



