120 SOEEN. 



orange-yellow epidermis, and often stained, in parts, of 

 a dark brown colour, by the mud in which it is found. 

 It is marked like the Siliqua, but without a furrow 

 running down the back, on each side the cartilage, as 

 in that shell. One end has a strong margin. Inside 

 white, with a single horizontal tooth in each valve, 

 sliding upon one another, when the shell is closed. — 

 Full-grown specimens are about five inches from end 

 to end. 



This was reckoned a scarce species in England, by 

 Mr. Montagu, till some time previous to the appear- 

 ance of his supplementary publication on the Natural 

 History of British Shells, when he discovered a bed of 

 them in a sand-bank, near the salt stone, in the estuary 

 of Kingsbridge, Devonshire. Their habitations are 

 known by a small hole on the surface, and they bury 

 themselves to the depth of two feet, or more, beneath 

 the sand. They have never been scarce on the shore 

 at Sandwich, where the author has formerly picked up 

 a considerable number in a few days. 



This shell is the true Solen Vagina of Linnaeus, who 

 has particularly noticed its margined end. His re- 

 ferences are, however, to the following shell, which 

 cannot be considered as a variety only, since it never 

 deviates from its particular characteristic distinction. 



