TO GEOLOGY. 39 



FAMILY SOLENACEA. 



GENUS SOLECURTUS. Blamville. 



S. Blainvillil Plate 1. Fig. 7. 



Description. Shell trapezoidal, rather compressed, nearly 

 equilateral, transversely and minutely striate, truncate be- 

 hind; beaks very small ; escutcheon long and deeply im- 

 pressed ; teeth two, the anterior one large and erect, the 

 posterior small and oblique ; margin entire. 



Diam Length .8, Breadth 1.3, inches, 



Observations. M. de Blainville has with great propriety 

 divided the genus Solen y placing those with the teeth nearly 

 medial under the generic name of Solecurtis. Several of 

 Lamarck's fossil Solenes fall under this division. One spe- 

 cies of the true Solen (S. affinis, Sowerby) is found in the 

 London Clay. The present species resembles most the 

 strigilatus (Lamarck), but differs in being more compressed 

 and less gaping. 



Mr Sowerby (Mineral. Conch. Tab. 462) represents a 

 shell very similar to this in form and size, under the 

 name Sanguinolaria compressa. In the description the 

 teeth are not mentioned. I should suppose from an ex- 

 amination of the figure that it was a true Solecurtus. 

 Mr S. says it belongs strictly to Azor of Leach. 



I have great gratification in dedicating this species to 



