SOLECURTUS.
5
variety of S. strigilatus for this shell.
Its foreign
distribution comprises the coasts of France, Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Algeria, the Canary Isles, and Madeira.
All that is known of the habits of this pretty species,
we owe to the Rev. R. N. Dennis, who informs me that
he was greatly surprised, when at Herm, with its
activity—adding, ^' A couple of specimens which I had
in a milk-pan of salt water were on the crawl whenever
I looked at them, really travelling at a great rate for
moUusks, and, without the least respect for their neighbours^ comforts, walking over, and upsetting all the
weaker shell-fish which were with them."
I have retained the specific name candidus because it
is now generally accepted; but the Solen candidus of
Renier may have been only a white variety of Solecurtus
strigilatus, a rather common Mediterranean shell. His
description is too scanty for identification, and he does
not even give the last-named species as an Adriatic
shell.
This variety was noticed by Linne in his ^ Mus.
Ulr. Reg.^
Olivi was at first inclined to consider it a
distinct species, but after finding intermediate specimens
he reduced it to the rank of a variety ; it was enumerated by Chiereghini also from the Adriatic under the
name of Solen albicans. The present species is the
Psammobia scopula of Turton, and Adasius Loscombeus
of Leach. I have been asked why I notice any of the
bizarre names given in Leach's ^ Synopsis of the Mollusca of Great Britain,^ since they are quite disregarded
by British naturalists. I cannot, however, forget that
it is a published work, and has been circulated on the
Continent. There I know that these volumes have also
found a place; and if I were to ignore the works of
Leach, Brown, and other authors on the subject of
which I treat, I feel that I should stand justly accused
5
variety of S. strigilatus for this shell.
Its foreign
distribution comprises the coasts of France, Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Algeria, the Canary Isles, and Madeira.
All that is known of the habits of this pretty species,
we owe to the Rev. R. N. Dennis, who informs me that
he was greatly surprised, when at Herm, with its
activity—adding, ^' A couple of specimens which I had
in a milk-pan of salt water were on the crawl whenever
I looked at them, really travelling at a great rate for
moUusks, and, without the least respect for their neighbours^ comforts, walking over, and upsetting all the
weaker shell-fish which were with them."
I have retained the specific name candidus because it
is now generally accepted; but the Solen candidus of
Renier may have been only a white variety of Solecurtus
strigilatus, a rather common Mediterranean shell. His
description is too scanty for identification, and he does
not even give the last-named species as an Adriatic
shell.
This variety was noticed by Linne in his ^ Mus.
Ulr. Reg.^
Olivi was at first inclined to consider it a
distinct species, but after finding intermediate specimens
he reduced it to the rank of a variety ; it was enumerated by Chiereghini also from the Adriatic under the
name of Solen albicans. The present species is the
Psammobia scopula of Turton, and Adasius Loscombeus
of Leach. I have been asked why I notice any of the
bizarre names given in Leach's ^ Synopsis of the Mollusca of Great Britain,^ since they are quite disregarded
by British naturalists. I cannot, however, forget that
it is a published work, and has been circulated on the
Continent. There I know that these volumes have also
found a place; and if I were to ignore the works of
Leach, Brown, and other authors on the subject of
which I treat, I feel that I should stand justly accused