SOLEN. 
SoLeNn, Linn., Cuv., Lam. 
CHARACTER GENERICUS. 
Testa bivalvis, equivalvis, transversissima, utrinque 
hians, marginibus subrectis, lateribus subtruncatis, 
interne impressionibus duabus muscularibus laterali- 
bus distinctis; ligamento exteriore; cardine termi- 
nali aut subterminali. 
SOLENARIUS acephalus, crassipedius, pede  sub- 
cylindrico. 
RAZOR-SH ELL. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Shell bivalve, very broad, the valves equal, gaping at 
each side, the margins nearly strait, the sides more or 
less truncate; internally with two distimct lateral muscular 
impressions; ligament on the outside of the shell; hinge 
more or less terminal. 
Animal without ahead, with a thick, somewhat cylindric 
foot. 
The Solenes inhabit sand or hard mud on the sea-shore far 
below high-water mark; their habitation is discovered, by 
an oval dimple or hole on the surface, out of which some 
of the species eject water with considerable foree. When 
placed on moist sand, they bury themselves rapidly (and, 
like all the equivalved bivalves), with the hinge extremity 
downwards. 
At low water they descend beneath the surface of the 
ground, but on pouring salt water into their holes, they 
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