SOLEN. 



SOLEN, or Razor-Sheath, in Natural Hi/lory, a ge- 

 nus of the Vermes Teltacea clafs and order, of which the 

 generic charafter is as follows. The animal is an afcidia ; its 

 (hield is bivalve, oblong and open at both ends ; the hinge 

 has a fubulate reflefted tooth ; it is often double, and not 

 inferted in the oppofitc valve. It had its name, fokn, from 

 the Greek, in which language that word exprefles a pipe 

 or tube ; this fi(h, when the fhells are clofed, very aptly 

 refembling a tube. The Latin writers have called it 

 unguis, from its refemblance in colour and confidence to the 

 human nail. The common people in many parts of France 

 call it coutelicr, and in Italy it is commonly called cannolichio. 

 (See Shells.) There are twenty-three fpecies enumerated 

 by Gmelin, which are as follow. 



Species. 



•Vagina. The fpecific character of this is, that the 

 fliell is linear, ftraight, roundilh, one end emarginated ; 

 the hinge is marked with a Tingle oppofite tooth in each 

 valve. There is a variety that inhabits the European and 

 Indian feas : it is fix or feven inches broad, and only one 

 inch long. The fhell is yellowirti, divided diagonally into 

 two triangles, one of which is Itriate longitudinally, tiie 

 other tranfverfely, and marked with curved bands. This 

 fpecies, and all the others that are found in this genus be- 

 longing to this country, are figured by Barbut> Lilter, 

 Donovan, and other naturalilts. 



*SiLiQUA. The (licll of this fpecies is linear, and 

 ftraight ; it has one hinge, which is two-toothed. There 

 is a variety with rofy lunules. The former is found in 

 moft European feas, and on our own coafts. The latter 

 is to be met with in the Indian feas. It is leven or eight 

 inches broad, and not more than one and a half inch long. 

 The (hell is equally broad and comprefled, with a double 

 tooth at the hinge, receiving another oppofite, and on one 

 fide there is another (harp tooth direfted downwards : the 

 colour is of an olive-brown, with a limpid afh-coloured mark 

 dividing the {hells diagonally : one part is ftriate longi- 

 tudinally, the other tranfverfely. 



• Exsis. Shell linear, a little bowed, like a fcymitar : 

 it has one hinge, which is two-toothed. It inhabits Eu- 

 ropean feas. The (hell is coloured, and marked like that 

 of the filiqua ; it is rounded at both ends ; the two teeth 

 of oue valve are inferted into a triangular hollow of the 

 other. 



* Pkllucidus. Shell fnb-arched, fub-oval, pellucid ; 

 one hinge two-toothed. This is found on the (bores of 

 Anglefea ; the (hell is thin and pellucid, about an inch 

 broad, with a double (harp tooth in one valve, receiving a 

 fingle one from the oppofite, with a procefs in each (hell 

 pointing towards the cartilage of the hinge. 



• Legl'Men. Shell linear, oval, ftraight ; hinges placed 

 in the middle, and two-toothed ; one of them bifid. It is 

 found in the European and the Atlantic feas ; is two 

 inches and a half broad. The (hell is fub-pellucid, radiate, 

 from the hinge to the margin ; it is rounded at both ends 



* CuLTELLUS. The (hell of this fpecies is (haped fome- 

 thing like a kidney, with a fingle tooth in one valve and 

 two in the other. It inhabits European and Indian feas, 

 and is more than two inches broad. The (hell is fragile, 

 covered with a rough cuticle, under which it is dirty-white, 

 with tawny mark'i ; both ends arc rounded. 



Radiatus. Shell oval, ftraight and fmooth, with a 

 tranfverfe deprelfed rib growing on one fide. This is 

 found in India, and is very thin and brittle. The (hell is of 

 a violet colour, with four tranfverfe white rays, growing 

 larger towards the thinner margin ; th« deprellcd rib run- 



ning nearly the length of the (hell ; the hinge ie callous o« 

 each fide ; both valves are two-toothed. 



Strigtlatus. Shell oral, obliquely ftriate. There it 

 a variety which inhabits the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and 

 Indian feas. The (hell is rofy, with two white rays, 

 ftrong and ventricofe ; the hinge ii a little prominent at 

 the margin, with a thin reflefted tooth. 



Anatinus. The (hell of this is ovate, membranaceous, 

 and hairy, with a falcate rib at the hinge. It inhabits the 

 Indian ocean, on a fandy bottom. The (hell ia pellucid, 

 white, thin, like paper ; one end ronnded and clofed, the 

 other gaping, like the beak of a bird : there is a tooth in 

 each valve refembling an ear-picker. 



Macha. Shell oval, oblong, truncate before ; one 

 hinge is two-toothed. It is found in the Pacific ocean. 

 It is about fix or feven inches long ; in colour it is brown, 

 varied with blue ; it produces pearl. 



BuLLATUS. Shell roundilh, inflated, fub-ftriate ; the 

 fore-part is gaping, in confequence of its cronatures. This 

 is found in the American and Indian feas ; brittle, white 

 fpotted or clouded with purple, longitudinally ftriate, fub- 

 pellucid ; hinge with a Gngle tooth, marginal ones remote, 

 compreffed, and inferted in a hollow of the other valve. 



MiNUTUs. Shell oval, angles of the valves ferrate. It 

 is found in the northern parts of Europe, among zoophytes ; 

 is the fize of a cucumber-feed ; longitudinally ftriate, trun- 

 cate at the top, with acute ferrate ridges, diverging from 

 the hinge towards the top. 



ViRENs. The (hell of this is ovate-oblong, with tumid 

 bofl'es. It inhabits Java ; is very brittle, diaphanous, white, 

 outwardly greeni(h, valves unequal, refembling in its (hape 

 the Mya pidlorum ; the tip and bafe hardly clofed, with 

 two approximate teeth in one hinge, and none in the 

 oppofite. 



DiPHOs. Shell oval, ftraight, fmooth, with prominent 

 membranes. It inhabits the Indian ocean, and refembles 

 the S. radiatus. It is two inches and a half long, and five 

 broad ; covered with a greenilh cuticle, under which it 

 is violet, with numerous rays ; two of thefe are more 

 diftinft. The hinge has two teeth in one valve, and one in 

 another. 



Minimus. Shell linear-oval, ftraight ; the hinges are 

 lateral and two-toothed ; one of them is bifid. It inhabits 

 Tranquebar ; refembles the S. legumen, but is much lefs ; 

 the cuticle is yellowifti, under which it is clear white ; the 

 inner rib runs down the whole (hell. 



Maximus. Shell linear, oval, ftraight, with arched 

 ftrias ; hinges lateral, two-toothed. It inhibit* the ftiores 

 of Nicobar ; it is a very rare fpecies. The (hell is tliin 

 and pellucid, white, covered with a ycllowi(h cuticle ; it is 

 four inches broad, one and a half long, gaping at both ends ; 

 the teeth of the hinge not receiving one another. 



CoARCTATWs. The (hell of this is tranfverfely wrinkled, 

 contraAed in the middle, rounded at both ends ; hinge in 

 the middle, with fomctimes one, and fomctimes two teeth 

 in either valve. This is found on the (bores of Nicobar, is 

 about three-fourths of an inch long, and two and ahalfbroad. 

 The (hell is of a dirty white, and gaping at both ends. 



RosEUs. Shell rofy, equivaUe ; the tooth of the hinge 

 is fub-bifid, and inferted in a hollow of the oppofite valve. 

 It inhabits the Red fea, refembles the Tclina radiata, but \\ 

 open at both ends. 



Sanguinolentus. Shell oval, quite fmooth ; the hinge 

 is callous, and two-toothed. It inhabits Jamaica ; the 

 beaks are rofy without and within. 



Stkiatus. Shell equivalve, tranfverfely ftriate ; hinge 



with a fingle tooth. It is alfo found near the (hores o( 



Q q 2 Nicobar, 



