260 GINGLYMACONCHA: SOLENIDZ. 
The Solenes, or, as they are commonly denominated, Razor- 
shells or Razor-fish, inhabit sand or hard mud on the sea-shore, 
far below high-water mark, and when disturbed eject water 
with considerable force: when placed in moist sand they bury 
themselves with great rapidity ; at low water they descend be- 
neath the surface of the ground. Many exotic species, besides 
Solen siliqua, are taken for the table, and also in Great Britain 
by means of a barbed spear, which is thrust suddenly into their 
shells, and immediately turned, by which they are easily cap- 
tured ; they are also captured by digging to the depth of two 
feet, or may be excited to rise to the surface by pouring a 
little salt water or salt into their holes, which are easily disco- 
vered by observing a dimple on the sand which contains them. 
1. SoLen Ewnsts. 
Shell very smooth, slightly arched, rounded before and be- 
hind ; the epidermis olive-brown or testaceous, sometimes spot- 
ted with brown. The tracheal tubes very short and contiguous; 
the orbicular muscle of the mantle coalescing before and behind 
its middle ; the central cavity cirrated ; the foot rounded, mo- 
derately long, reddish. Length six inches; height three-fourths 
of an inch. 
Solen Ensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. xu. 1114; Lister, Anim. Angl. 
App. t. 1. £.9; Penn. Brit. Zoot. tv. 83. 1. Xive tee 
Schroet. Conch. 1. 626. t. vu. f. 7; Brug. Encycl. Méthod. 
t. xxii. f. 3; t. ecxxii. f. 1, 2; Da Costa, Brit. Conch. 
237; Poli, Test. 1.9. t. x. f. 11 ad 16; Pult. Cat. Dorset. 
28. t. iv. f. 3; Donov. Brit. Shells, t.1; Mont. Test. Brit. 
48; M.§ R. Trans. Linn. Soc. vin. 44 ; Wood, Gen. Conch. 
1 122. t. xxvni. f. 1,2; Flem. Edinb. Encyel. vu. 89; 
Lam. Hist. Nat. des Anim. sans Vert. v. 452; Dill. Desc. 
Cat. 59; Turt. Conch. Dict. 158. 
Hypogeea falcata, Poli, Test. 1. 18. 
This species is generally found on all our open sandy coasts, 
and is very frequently thrown after storms. Young specimens 
are more straight, and generally a little narrower behind ; and 
are often of a very pale green colour. 
