SOLENACEA. MOLLUSCA. SOLECURTUS. 29 



plate of one valve entering betioeen two teeth and a double plate of 

 the other. 



State Coll., No. 241. Soc. Cab., No. 1709. 



Solen ensis, Lin. ; Sijst. JVat.,\ll4. Pennant; Brit. Zool., t. 4o, f. 22. Chemn. ; 



Conch., vi. t. 4, f. 30. Montagu ; Test. Brit., 48. Brug. ; Encyc. Meth., pi. 



223, f. 2, 3. Turton; Conch Did., KiO. Brit. Blv., p. 83. Wood; Gen. 



Conch, pi. 28, f. 1, 2. Index, pi. 3, f. G. Lam.; An. sans Vert., vi. 55. 



Conrad; Marine 6''^?it/i., pi. 5, f. 1. Donovan; Brit. Shells, pi. 50. Maton 



and Rackett; Lin. Trans., viii. 44. 

 Solen curvus, Listkr; Conch , t. 411, f. 2r)7. 



Shell scabbard-shaped ; about six times as long as high, the 

 ends rounded, the front and back nearly parallel, white within, and 

 covered without by a glossy, yellowish or brownish-green epider- 

 mis, wiiich folds over the sharp edge of the shell. On the sur- 

 face is a triangle of lines marking the termination of the longer 

 side at the successive stages of growth ; hinge at one end ; on 

 one valve is a single tooth from which a rib or plate extends to 

 the ligament ; on the other valve are two teeth, and a double 

 plate receiving those of the opposite valve between them ; the 

 terminations of the two ribs rise up in a curved manner and cross 

 each other like teeth, when not broken off, as they usually are. 

 Length of a good specimen 6 inches, height 1 inch. 



This well-known shell is found on both shoi'es of the Atlantic. 

 It lives on sandy beaches near low-water mark, as at Chelsea, Na- 

 hant, and Nantasket beaches, and about Newburyport, Nantucket, 

 &c. It is displaced by heavy storms, and thrown up by the tide. 

 It may often be seen projecting a little above the level of the sand, 

 but, if touched or disturbed, it descends with astonishing rapidity 

 and force, muchto the amazement of him who may lay hold of it, 

 thinking to make an easy capture. 



The animal is cylindrical, too long for the shell, and is often used 

 as an article of food under the name of long dam, razor-fish, knife- 

 handle, &c. These names are enough to suggest an idea of the 

 shell to any one who is not already familiar with it. 



Genus SOLECURTUS, Blainv. 



^hell transverse, elongated, equivalve, the beaks small, sub- 

 central, margins nearly parallel, ends abruptly rounded ; hinge 



