332 THE OCEAN WORLD. 



M. Chenu says, little known, rare, and hence much sought for by 

 collectors. They are exclusively exotic, the most common species 

 being from Java. It is imported into Europe by the Dutch. Our 

 third family, the Anatinidae, includes Myochama, Pandora, 'Lyonsia, 

 Myacites, Pholadomya, Thracia, and Anatina, genera which were more 

 important in the former than in the present seas ; some, in fact, being 

 wholly extinct, or represented, as in Pholadomya, by one or two living 

 species. Our fourth family, the Myacidae, including Gycimeris, is 

 found only in America ; Panopsea, now principally extinct ; Thetis, 

 Neaera, Corbula, and Mya, or Graper. 



Our fifth family, Solenidae, contains the Solens, which under the 

 name of " razor-fish " are so abundant on the sandy shores of all parts 

 of the globe. These molluscs live buried vertically in the sand, a 

 short distance from the shore ; the hole which they have hollowed, 

 and which they never quit, sometimes attains as much as two yards 

 in depth ; by means of their foot, which is large, conical, swollen in 

 the middle, and pointed at its extremity, they raise themselves with 

 great agility to the entrance of their hole. They bury themselves 

 rapidly, and disappear on the slightest approach of danger. 



When the sea retires, the presence of the Solen is indicated by a 

 small orifice in the sand, whence escape at intervals bubbles of air. 

 In order to attract them to the surface, the fishermen throw into the 

 hole a pinch of salt ; immediately the sand becomes stirred, and the 

 animal presents itself just above the point of its shell. It must be 

 seized at once, for it disappears again very quickly, and no renewed 

 efforts will bring it to the surface a second time. Its retreat is 

 commonly cut short by a knife being passed below it ; for it burrows 

 into the ground with such velocity that it is difficult to capture it with 

 the hands alone. 



This shell has by some been compared to a knife-handle ; by others 

 to a razor, which has become its popular name. It is a thin, trans- 

 parent, long, and slender equivalved bivalve, with parallel edges, gaping 

 and truncated at both extremities. The tints are rose-coloured, bluish- 

 grey, and violet ; the valves slightly covered with an epidermis of a 

 greenish brown. 



The animal which lives in this elegant dwelling has the form of 

 an elongated cylinder. Its mantle is closed in its whole length, 

 and only open at the ends at one side for the passage of the food, 



