242 NEW-YORK FAUNA — MOLLUSCA. 
FAMILY SOLENID. 
Sueuy generally thin, elongated transversely, without accessory pieces, and gaping only 
at the lateral extremities ; ligament exterior. 
GENUS SOLEN. Linneus. 
Animal with its mantle closed in its whole length, adhering by its edges, and attached to the 
lower edge of the shell by a double membrane which is reflected upon itself to form the 
epidermis ; presenting below a tube, double within, conic, annulated, and capable of great 
elongation, with two simple orifices ; that of the siphon larger than that of the vent. Foot 
quite in front, large, conic, swollen in the middle. Branchiz long, narrow, pointed behind, 
adhering on two lines in front on each side of the body, then uniting at a certain distance 
behind into one line. Labial appendices elongated, triangular. Mouth small. Vent at the 
end of a very small tube floating in the cavity. Shell moderately thin, translucent, much 
elongated transversely, equivalve ; sides nearly parallel. Beaks very small, terminal. Car- 
dinal teeth small, rounded, variable. 
SoLEn ENSIS. 
PLATE XXXIll. FIG, 313. 
Solen ensis, Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 1114. 
S. id. Conrap, Am. Mar. Conch. p. 27, pl. 5, fig. 1. 
he oars Russet, Essex Jour: Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p.51. Gouxp, Invertebrata of Mass. p. 29. 
Description. Shell cylindrical, elongated transversely, slightly curved, the sides parallel ; 
ends truncate, more or less convexly rounded. Surface with glossy epidermis, and a long 
triangular space marked by the concentric lines of growth ; remaining part of the shell with 
lines parallel to the basal margin. Hinge at one end, with a single tooth, and a sharp lateral 
plate of one valve entering between two teeth and a double plate of the other; the termina- 
tions of the two plates, when not broken off, rise up in a curved manner, and cross each 
other like teeth. 
Color, greenish olive ; the long triangular space faded purple. 
Vertical axis, 0°5 —1°0; transverse ditto, 5°0 — 6:0. 
This is the common Razor-shell of our shores, and occurs on both sides of the Atlantic. 
It lives in the sand near and below low-water mark, and is esteemed in many parts of the 
world as a good article of food. 
