488 MANUAL OF THE MOLLUSCA. 



Leach, MS. Solecurtoides, Desm.) C. legumen, PL XXII., 

 Fig. 6. Shell narrow, sub-equilateral, anterior adductor impres- 

 sions elongated, a second pedal scar near tKe pallial sinus. 

 Animal with a long, truncated foot ; siphons separate, diyerg- 

 ing, fringed. Distribution, 1 species. Britain, Mediterranean, 

 Senegal, Eed Sea. Fossil, 3 species. Pliocene — . Italy. 



Machcera, Gould. (Siliqua, Megerle. Leguminaria, Schum.) 

 M. polita, PL XXII., Pig. 7. Shell smooth., oblong; epidermis 

 polished; umbonal rib extending across the interior of the 

 valve ; pallial sinus short. The animal, figured by Middendorff, 

 is similar to Solecurtus. Distribution, India, China, Ochotsk, 

 Oregon, Sitka, Behring's Sea, Newfoundland. M. costata, 

 Say, is often obtained from the maw of the cod-fish. Fossil, 4 

 species. Upper Greensand — . Britain, Prance. 



Pharella, Gray. Shell nearly cylindrical ; anterior muscular 

 impression elongated. 



SoLECUETTis, Blainville. 



Etymology, solen and cuftus, short. 



Synonyms, Psammosolen, Passo. Macha, Oken. Siliquaria, 

 Schum. Tagelus, Gray. 



Examples, S. strigilatus, PL XXII., Fig. 8. S. Caribaeus, 

 PL XXII. , Fig. 9. 



Shell elongated, rather ventricose, with sub-central beaks ; 

 margins sub-parallel ; ends truncated, gaping ; ligament promi- 

 nent ; hinge-teeth f ; pallial sinus very deep, rounded ; posterior 

 adductor rounded. 



Animal very large and thick, not entirely retractile within the 

 shell ; mantle closed below ; pedal orifice and foot large ; palpi 

 triangular, narrow, lamellated inside; gills long and narrow, 

 outer much the shortest ; siphons separate at the ends, united 

 and forming a thick mass at their bases; anal orifices plain, 

 branchial fringed. 



The Solecurti bury deeply in sand or mud, usually beyond 

 low water, and are difficult to obtain alive. P. Carihesus occurs 

 in countless myriads in the bars of American rivers, and on the 

 coast of New Jersey in sand exposed at low water ; by removing 

 three or four inches of sand its burrows may be discovered ; 

 they are vertical cylindrical cavities, If inches in diameter and 

 12 or more deep ; the animal holds fast by the expanded end of 

 its foot. 



Distribution, 25 species. United States, Britain, Mediterranean, 

 West Africa, Madeira. 



Fossil, 30 species. Neocomian — . United States, Europe. 



