SOLENIMYA* 



Lam. — Hist. Nat. des Anim. sans vert. vi. p. 488. 



TESTA inaequilatera, aequivalvis^ transversim ob- 

 longa^ extremitatibus obtusa, epidermide nitida^ 

 marginem superante. Umbones rion prominiili. 

 Dens cardinalis in utraque valva^ dilatatus^ com- 

 pressus^ perobliquus^ superne subconcavus,, liga- 

 mentum excipiens. Ligamentum partim inter- 

 num^ partim externum. 



In introducing to our readers a shell of such extreme 

 rarity and singularity as the Solenimi/a^yve feel ourselves in- 

 capable of doing better than translating the short, but ex- 

 cellent account given by Lamarck, who has instituted 

 the Genus from an acquaintance with two recent species, 

 the one from New Holland, and the other from the coasts 

 of the Mediterranean. Lamarck says, At first sight the 

 Solemi/ce resemble the Modiolce^ nevertheless their charac- 

 ters bring them near to the Solenes, and still nearer to the 

 Anatince. They are slender, transversely oblong, almost 

 cylindrical or depressed cylindrical shells, obtuse at the 

 extremities, and furnished with distant, diverging rays, 

 which run from the umbones, and terminate at the upper 

 edge of the valves, and at the lateral extremities. They 

 are covered with a brown, very shining epidermis, the 

 edges of which pass beyond the edges of the shell, being 

 lacerated, particularly towards the anterior side. These 

 shells do not gape at their posterior extremity, and only 

 slightly at the anterior. The two cardinal teeth, (one in 



* Lamarck's term Solemya has been strongly objected to ; Bowdich has 

 changed it to Solenimya, which we gladly adopt. 



