628 



Crrotfurp of Natural P>ts'torj); 



Yarrel asserts, that eighty-six thousand 

 bushels of Soles have been received at Bil- 

 lingsgate market only within twelve months! 

 ; Next to the Turbot this fish is considered as 

 j the most delicate of the genus, and is by 

 i many even preferred to the former ; the flesh 

 being remarkably firm, white, and well- 

 i flavoured : those of moderate size are in 

 I general most esteemed. 



There are several varieties, as the Lemon 

 Sole, the Variegated Sole, the Zebra Sole, 

 the Silver Sole, &c., none of which are by 

 any means so abundant as the common spe- 

 cies just described, nor differing from it in 

 any very important point. There is also the 

 SOLENLTTE or LITTLE SOLE (Pleuroneclcs 

 Uiif/nJti), considerable numbers of which are 

 taken in the trawl nets off Brixham through- 

 out the whole year ; but from their dimi- 

 nutive size, they are generally thrown back 

 into the sea. 



SOLENIDiE. The name given to a family 

 of Mollusca, distinguished by the great length 

 of their respiratory tubes. The Solen, or 

 Razor-shell, is a well-known example. It 

 has an elongated shell, the hinge being fur- 

 nished with distinct teeth, and the ligament 

 altogether external. The animal burrows 

 in the sand sometimes to the depth of nearly 

 two feet), into which it sinks rapidly on the 

 approach of danger ; and as it very rarely 

 quits its hole, its movements are nearly li- 

 mited to an ascent or descent in it. This it 

 accomplishes by means of its foot, which it 

 attenuates into a point when it is about to 

 bore, and afterwards contracts into a rounded 

 form, so as to fix it by its enlargement when 

 it desires to rise. In places where they 



TIAZOtl-StlEI.L,. (SOLF.N 



abound, they are sought after as bait for 

 fish, and are taken in the following manner. 

 Although the Solen is an inhabitant of salt 

 water, yet salt in its pure state appears to 

 have an irritating effect upon the animal : 

 the fisherman, therefore, having discovered 

 its retreat, throws into the hole a small 

 quantity of salt, which generally brings the 

 creature to the surface, when he endeavours 

 to grasp it firmly ; to do which some address 

 and quickness are required ; but should he 

 fail, and the animal make good its retreat, 

 there is no other way to capture it than to 

 dig it out of the sand : for it is either in- 

 sensible to the additional irritation, or its 

 instinct of self-preservation teaches it to 

 remnin beneath. When the tide is low the 

 burrow of the Solen is often recognized by 

 the little jet of water which the animal 

 throws out, when alarmed by the shaking of 

 the sand occasioned by the motion of the 

 fisherman above. Some species are common 

 on the English coast ; others come from 

 India. America, &c. One of the Indian va- 

 rieties is remarkable for its beautiful colour ; 

 the shell under the epidermis being of a 

 delicate violet, striped with white. 



SOLITAIRE. The name given to an 

 extinct species of Dodo : also the name ap- 

 plied in Jamaica to a species of Thrush. 

 [See PTILOGONYS.] 



SOREX : SORICIDJE. The name given 

 by Cuvier to a genus and family of noctur- 

 nal insectivorous quadrupeds, of which the 

 Shrews or Shrew-mice are the type. [See 

 SHKEW.] 



SOUSLTK. (Spcrmophihts citilJits.) A 

 pretty little Rodent quadruped allied to the 

 Marmots, but distinguished by having check- 

 pouches in which it stores away seeds and 

 nuts. It is not uncommon in different parts 

 of Germany and Russia, and seems to vary 

 considerably in markings. This species and 

 its congeners lay up, for the winter, Feeds, 



8OO8LIK. (SPERMOPB1L08 CI1 ILLUS.) 



ncorns, nuts, and beech-mast, which they 

 carry to their burrows. Pennant informs us 

 that in the more primitive times, when 

 foreign furs were scarcer than they are now, 

 the ladies in Bohemia made cloaks of the 

 skins of Sousliks ; and they are sometimes 

 used to line articles of dress even at the 

 present time. In the Fauna Boreali- Ame- 

 ricana, Sir John Richardson has described 

 several species of Spermophilus from North 

 America. 



SPANIEL. (Ccmis [famiUaris] aricuJa- 

 riiis. ) The name given to several varieties or 

 distinct breeds of the canine race, all more or 

 less elegant ; the distinguishing characters 

 of which are, that the muzzle is rather 

 broad ; the ears remarkably long and full ; 

 the hair plentiful, and beautifully waved, 

 particularly that of the ears, tail, and hinder 

 parts of the thighs and legs. The prevailing 

 colour is liver and white; sometimes red and 

 white, or black and white ; and sometimes 

 deep brown, or black on the face and breast, 

 with a tan spot over each eye. England 

 has been famous for producing dogs of this 

 sort, particular care having been taken to 

 preserve the breed in its utmost purity ; so 

 that notwithstanding the name Spaniel is 

 supposed to be derived from Spain, it is 

 more than probable that the English Spaniel 

 (the most common and useful breed) is in- 

 digenous. The fond attachment and timid 

 ubmission of the Spaniel are proverbial ; 

 there are few persons, indeed, who could not 

 bear witness to the truth of the following 

 description given by Mr. Bell : " If punished, 

 "t receives the chastisement with submission, 

 ind looks in the face of its offended master 

 with an expression of humble sorrow for 

 having been the cause of his anger ; and the 

 instant that the punishment is over, it comes 



