2S2 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[SOLENIDf. 



We now come toafcreat section of the Conchifera, 

 called by Cuvier I>e» Enlenii/*, which he thus cha- 

 racterizes :— The species have all the mantle open 

 at its anterior part, or towards its middle only, for 

 the passage of the foot ; while posteriorly it pro- 

 longs itself into a double tube protruded from 

 the shell, which is always gaping at its extre- 

 mities. Almost all the species live buried in the 

 sand, in mud, in stones, or in wood. This group 

 contains two lamilies of M. de Blainville, viz., the 

 Pyloridians and the Adesmacians. To the latter 

 are assigned the Pholades, the Teredo, and Fistu- 

 lana ; lo the former, all the other penera. 



We have already said that M. de Blainville places 

 the Saxicavae among the Pyloridians, and we are 

 inclined to think this their true situation. It is 

 among the Enfermcs that Cuvier places his Bys- 

 somya. 



Family MYAD^ (MYA, PANDORA, &xX 

 The Myadae or Myidae are described by Ijimarck as 

 slender-footed Conchifera; the mantle having its 

 lobes not united or .xcarcely united anteriorly : the 

 gaping of the shell is often considerable. The liga- 

 ment is internal. 



The first genus to be noticed is Pandora. In this 

 genus the shell is delicate, regular, elongated, and 

 compressed ; the valves are unequal, the right being 

 flattened, the opposite more or less convex. The 

 umbones are depressed ; the binge presents a cardi- 

 nal tooth on the right valve, corresponding with a 

 cavity in the left. The ligament is internal, oblique, 

 and triangular : and is inserted into a little pit with 

 rather projecting edges. Muscular impressions 

 rounded, that of the mantle but little apparent. The 

 molUisk is oval, and rather elongated ; the two tubes 

 of the mantle are united only at their base. The 

 foot is large, triangular, and swollen at its extremity. 

 Labial appendages rather large. 



The species of Pandora are widely spread ; they 

 are found in the seas of Northern Europe, in the 

 Mediterranean, the Pacific, on the coasts of North 

 America, of New Zealand, and the Philippine 

 Islands. They live buried deep in the sand, and 

 are not to be captured without some trouble. 



2990. — The Beaked Pandora 

 (Pandora rostrata). This species is a native of the 

 coasts of England and the adjacent continent, a 

 shows the interior of the deep valve ; b, the interior 

 of the flat valve ; c, the shell with the valves 

 closed. 



Fig. 2991 shows the mollusk of Pandora rostrata ; 

 a, a, a, r, the mantle opened anteriorly to show the 

 foot ; p. the foot ; h, portion of intestinal canal ; e, 

 the liver covered by the egg-sac ; m, m, the adductor 

 muscles ; c, e, the siphons. 



We may now pass to Anatina. In Anatina the 

 shell is delicate, oval, elongated, and gaping at one 

 or both extremities; the hinge is destitute of teeth, 

 but is furnished with a horizontal, excavated, or 

 spoon-shaped process, receiving the internal liga- 

 ment, and sustained by an oblique lamina passing 

 into the interior of the shell. Pallial impression 

 very trifling. 



The Anatinee occur on sandy shores and in shal- 

 low water. Two species are described by Mr. 

 Sowerby in the ' Zool. Proceeds.' 1834, brought 

 home by Mr. Cuming, one from New South Shetland, 

 the other from St. Elena; other species have been 

 obtained from the Philippine Islands, &c.- 



2992. — The Scbrostrate Anatina 



(Anallna subrostratn). This species is found on 

 the shores of New Holland. Its shell is vejy deli- 

 cate and membranaceous ; the anterior extremity is 

 attenuated ; the gape wide. 



From this genus we turn to Mya : the shell is in- 

 vested with an epidermis, prolonged upon the man- 

 tle and siphons of the mollusk ; it is rather solid, 

 gaping at both extremities, and equivalve. The hinge 

 IS composed of two oblique folds diverging backwards 

 from a horizontal spoon-shaped process on the left 

 valve, and corresponding to an equally horizontal 

 pit in the right valve : the ligament is internal, in- 

 serting itself between the pit and the spoon-shaped 

 process. The anterior muscular impression is elon- 

 gated, the posterior rounded ; the pallial mark is nar- 

 row and deeply furrowed. 



The Myae are burrowing in their habits, and live 

 buried in the sand of flat beaches, or in the alluvial 

 deposit of SBstuaries, with the siphons just projecting 

 above the surface. Some species are European. 



2993.— The Common Mya 



(Mya arenaria). This example of the genus is 

 found on the shores of our own island and those of 

 the adjacent continent, where beds of sand in shallow 

 water afford a suitable locality. Our pictorial spe- 

 cimens exhibit the structure of the hmge and the 

 marks on the inside of the valves. A few fossil spe- 

 cies of this genus are recorded, and M. arenaria and 

 tnincata are found in a fossil state, as well as living. 



Closely related to Mya is the genus Lutricola of 

 M. de Blainville. He describes the shell as being 

 oval or elongated, and equivalve : the hinge pre- 

 sents two very small cardmal teeth, sometimes ef- 

 faced, before a large triangular pit ; the ligament is 

 double, the external portion is posterior, and not 

 extensive ; the internal portion is thicker, and in- 

 serted in the fossets. The muscular impressions are 

 distinct, and united byapallial mark, which is sinu- 

 ous posteriorly. 



The mollusk is furnished with long siphons, and 

 a small and scarcely projecting foot. 



2994. — The Compbkssed Lutricola 



(Lutricola contpressn). We select as an example 

 this specie.f, which is a native of the European seas, 

 and occurs in the British Channel. The shell is thin, 

 compressed, rounded, and transvei^ly striated ; the 

 colour is dirty grey, with a tinge of yellow or 

 reddish. 



A section or subgenus of Lutricola is termed by 

 Lamarck Lutraria. The shell is oblong, subcylin- 

 drical, and widely gaping. The hinge-teeth are 

 two, and strong; and the spoon-shaped processor 

 the ligament is vertical. \\ 



2995. — The Solbn-likk Lutraria 



(Lutraria soleno'ides). Mya oblonga, Grael. ; Mac- 

 tia hians, Dilw. 



The LutiariiE and the Lutricolae frequent sandy 

 beaches, in which they bury themselves, and thus 

 avoid their enemies. The present species is found 

 in the seas of Europe: the shell is marked with 

 transverse rugose striae ; the colour is dirty white, 

 or reddish. 



It is here, perhaps, that we may introduce that 

 interesting form for the knowledge of which we are 

 indebted to Mr. G. B. Sowerby, and to which he 

 gave the generic title of Pholadomya. His descrip- I 

 tion was taken from a recent species brought from j 

 the island of Tortola, which passed into the posses- 

 sion of Mr. Broderip, and (with that zoologist's noble 

 collection) is now in the British Museum. 



The generic characters are thus detailed : — Shell 

 very thin, rather hyaline, transverse, ventricose ; 

 inside pearly ; anterior extremity short and rounded, 

 the posterior more or less elongated and gaping. 

 Hinge with a small and elongated pit, of a triangu- 

 lar form, and a marginal lamina in each valve, to 

 the outer part of which is attached the short liga- 

 ment, which is external. Muscular and pallial im- 

 pressions indistinct. 



A description of the mollusk, by Professor Owen, 

 was communicated to Mr. Broderip. Pholadomya, 

 he observes, " presents all the family characters of 

 the Inclusa, or Enfermes, but dift'ers generically from 

 all those the organization of which has hitherto 

 been described, by the presence of a fourth aper- 

 I ture leading to the interior of the mantle ; that is to 

 ; say, besides the linear slit for the protrusion of ' 

 the narrow foot, at the anterior part of the ventral 

 aspect of the mantle, and the two siphonic tubular 

 passages, there is at the under or ventral part of 

 the united siphons a small round aperture, which 

 is continued upon a truncated pyramidal papilla 

 projecting itself into the pallial cavity, forming a 

 valvular obstruction to the exit of fluids, but admit- ' 

 ting their entry. This doubtless relates to some 

 curious and peculiar feature in the economy of the 

 mollusk." 



The discovery of this recent species, observes Mr. 

 Sowerby, has led to the more perfect knowledge of 

 several Ibssils, the genus of which was before ex- 

 ceedingly doubtful; and which were in fact re- 

 ferred by authors to several genera, to none of 

 which they really belonged. Of these, some have 

 been assigned to the genus Cardita, and others to 

 Lutraria. They occur in several rocks of the oolitic 

 series, particularly the cornbrash, the inferior oolite, 

 and fuller's-earth, as well as in the lias, in the 

 London clay, the Sutherland coal-field, and the dark, 

 coloured clay at Alum Bay. 



2996.— The White Pholadomya 



{Pholadomt/a Candida'). The Pholadomya is most 

 probably an inhabitant of deep water ; the specimen 

 on which Mr. G. B. Sowerby characterized the ge- 

 nus was thrown upon the beach of Tortola aller a 

 violent storm. The shell is marked with decussate 

 striae, which are decurrent I'lom the umbo, a repre- 

 sents the shell with the valves shut, the umbones 

 anteriorly ; b, the inside view of one of the valves, 

 showing the impressions of the muscles and mantle, 

 and the umbo worn by the repeated opening of the 

 valves; the wear to which they were naturally more 

 exposed than the other parts. 



Family SOLENID/^i (SOLENS, or RAZOR- 

 SHELLS, &c.). 



In the Solenidae the ligament is external and con- 

 vex. Our first pictorial example belongs to the 



genus Soletellina, the shell of which is oval and 

 compressed, with sharp edges ; the umbones are but 

 little elevated; the hinge presents one or two very 

 small cardinal teeth; the ligament is thick and con- 

 vex ; the pallial impression is very sinuous back- 

 wards. 

 The animal is not known. 



2997. — The Radiated Soletellina 



(Soletellina radiata). This species is a native of 

 the Indian Seas; the shell is of a violet tint, with 

 obscure rays. 



The genus Soletellina differs very little from 

 Psammocola, and to this the genera Psammobia 

 and Sanguinolaria are intimately allied. 



The genus Sanguinolaria has an oval shell, much 

 compressed and scarcely gaping; the hinge present- 

 ing one or two cardinal teeth in each valve, and a 

 projecting convex ligament. The pallial impression 

 IS sinuous backwards. Cuvier says that in Sangui- 

 nolaria there are two teeth in each valve, and in 

 Psammobia and P.sammothea only one. The dis- 

 tinctions between these genera are in fact very su- 

 perficial and indeterminate. 



2998. — The Mediterranean Sanguinolaria 



(Sanguinolaria occidens). Psammobia occidens, 

 l)esh — This species is a native of the Mediterranean : 

 the shell is variegated with white and red, and radi- 

 ated. The mollusk is remarkable for the length of 

 its two siphons. 



2999. — ^The Roseate Sanguinolaria 



(Sanguinolaria rosea). Psammobia rosea, Desh. 



This species is a native of the West Indian Seas: 

 the cardinal teeth in each valve are two ; the valves 

 are regular and preity well closed ; their colour if 

 white with roseated umbones. 



Several new species of Sanguinolaria and Sole- 

 tellina have been collected by Mr. Cuming at the 

 Philippine Islands. 



These mollusks are found buried in sands and 

 sandy mud, at depths varying from a few fathoms to 

 twelve or fourteen. 



Another genus to be noticed, is that termed 

 Solecurtus. The shell is oval oblong, covered with 

 undulating oblique and longitudinal striae ; both 

 extremities are gaping. There are two cardinal 

 teeth in one valve ; one, rarely two, in the other. 

 The ligament is external and convex ; the pallial 

 impression deeply sinuous. 



The mollusk is too large for the shell ; the lobes 

 of the mantle are thick, and prolonged into two 

 great unequal siphons, united near their summit. 

 The foot is tongue-shaped, large, and thick ; the la- 

 bial palps are long and narrow. 



3000. — The Strigilate Solecurtus 



(Sotecvitus strigilatus). Solen strigilatus, Lam. 



This species occurs in theMediterranean, and, ac- 

 cording to Lamarck, also in the Indian Ocean. The 

 shell is very convex, and sculptured with oblique 

 striae. The general colour is roseate, with two rays 

 of white. 



We now pass to the genus Solen, containing the 

 Razor-shells, as they are commonly termed, which 

 may be known by their elongated figure, the valves 

 gaping and truncated at both extremities, and with 

 nearly parallel edges. The shell is generally de- 

 licate and translucid, and covered with an epider- 

 mis; the umbones are completely anterior ; the hinge 

 presents one or two teeth ; in the specimen before 

 us two teeth in the left and one in the right valve • 

 the ligament is convex, elongated, and fixed in a 

 marginal fissure. The muscular impressions are 

 distant, the pallial mark straight. 



As may be inferred from the shell, the animal is 

 elongated, and has the mantle closed to a great ex- 

 tent, adhering by its borders, and bound to the edge 

 of the shell so as to form the epidermis ; it is pro- 

 duced backwards into a double siphon, the tubes 

 being united together, conical, and capable of much 

 elongation. From the anterior part, where the 

 mantle is open, in accordance with the gape of the 

 shell, a long and powerliil foot protrudes, which 

 serves as an instrument for boring into the sand. 

 The branchiae are highly vascular, long, and narrow. 

 Fig. 3001 exhibits the animal and open shell of 

 Solen Vagina : the foot and double siphon aic seen 

 retracted ; the anterior part of the mantle is open 

 for the freedom of the foot. 



Fig. 3002 represents the shell and animal of Solon 

 Legumen. The tubes of the siphon are seen sepa- 

 rated ; and the foot is protruded from the anterior 

 apex. 



Fig. 3003 shows the valves of Solen Ensis. a, an 

 external view with the valves closed; b, an internal 

 view of one of the valves. 



Several species of Solen are natives of our shores 

 and those of the Continent ; as, lor example, the 

 three species to which we have alluded. These 



