RAZOR - SHELLS. 57 



Donax Calif ornicus, Conr., the well-known 

 Wedge shell, is shown in Fig. 5, PI. XV. It is 

 short and stumpy, being less than an inch in 

 length. It varies much in color, sometimes 

 being nearly white, and again, striped with 

 bright tints. It is smooth, marked with narrow 

 radiations, and has a finely crenulated edge. It 

 abounds on the sandy beaches in the southern 

 part of the State. 



The true Solens, or Razor-shells, are not very 

 numerous on the coast of California, but are 

 found more abundantly in the vicinity of Puget 

 Sound. Solen sicarius, Old., is our best repre- 

 sentative of this curious group of mollusks. The 

 shell of this species is about two inches long, 

 nearly straight, and gapes widely at both ends ; 

 it is thin and delicate, and is covered with a 

 glossy, light brown epidermis. The hinge-teeth 

 and ligament are very near one end of the shell. 

 The Solens are active burrowers, and not easily 

 surprised. A variety, rosaceus, of this species is 

 longer, more slender, and of a pinkish color. 



Next to the true Solens, comes Soleciirtus Col- 

 ifornianus, Conr., or the Short Razor -shell, 

 shown in Fig. 1, PI, XVI, natural size. The 

 epidermis of this species is not so glossy as that 

 of the last, and the hinge is in the middle of the 

 shell, instead of being at one end. The w r ild 

 ducks love to find a colony of these mollusks, 

 and greatly enjoy the rich feast. 



Resembling the former species, but much 

 larger, is the beautiful shell shown in Fig/ 6, PI. 

 X V , known as Mach&ra patula, Dixon., Flat 

 Razor-shell. It grows to a length of four or five 



