New Britain herald., 1920-12-06
ANTICS OF LEAPING
 RAZOR SHELL TOLD
Queer Shaped Clam Has One Foot
 and Jumps for Pleasure
(By James Shepard.)

The Solen or Razor Shell' is widely distributed throughout the world, being absent only in Arctic seas. It burrows in the sand near the low water mark and its shells are often scattered along over the sandy beaches after having been washed out by storms. Its long and narrow shell, curved like a scimitar presents striking contrast to that of other shlls. none other being. so narrow in proportion to its length. One specimen from Niantic, Conn.,, in the museum of the New Britain Institute is fully eight inches long and only about an inch wide. The equivalve shell of the Solen bears a close resemblance to the scales of an old fashioned razor handle, hence the name Razor Shell. The Solen is variously called Razor shells Razor fishes Razor clans, Knife handles Spout fishes and Long clans. common Razor Of our New Eng land coast is the Solen ensis, although 1t is sometimes called EnSis Americana or Ensatella Americana. They are used az bait for codfish and haddock. It is said that they are excellent articles of food and are often used as such both in Europe and America. The old joke about a display of sharp wit by one who has eaten fried razors does not refer to an impossibility, but to a meal of these delicious Razor clans. No doubt they would be more generally used as food were it not so difficult to get them. Their burrows in the sand are from one to two teet Or more in depth heinz marked by key hole shaped openings in the surface of the sand. Sometimes Razors may l, ylx h,1F af holes. apparently taking in d supply of oxygen. Their foot is long and cylindrical, the animal having tho rower of changin, the terminal DOT tion from a tapering point to an ob- tuse club. By suddenly widening or narrowing the foot, It is enabled to ascend rapidly within its burrow and also to bore into the sand, making a new burrow with its dibble pointed foot. If one is removed from its bur row and set free it will sink into the sand with astonishing rapidity. They are evidently sensible of vibratory movements in the air as well as on tho ground and when disturbed squirt out water in a strong jet and imme- diately sink down in their holes. Hence the name Spout fishes It has been observed that when d Solen is s,ls-
 
 downwards. it protrudes it's foot sev- cral times in succession if it vera boring into the sand.
 The fishermen entico the Solen from their holes by sprinkling a little salt therein, making them believe. az they say, that the tide is coming in 1" The fact is that fresh salt irritates them and they evidently rise up in their burrows to get rid of it. It is then that the fishermen haul them out with an iron hook. A Solen hunt re- auireS considers ble skill and alertness for should the animal make good it's retreat there is no other way to cap- ture it than to dis it out of the sand It is either insensible to additional irritation from more salt, or its in stinct of self preservation teaches it to remain underneath. Even when they are partly out of their holes they are not easily taken, their muscular strength being in proportion to their size, far greater than that of a man. and they sometimes so forcibly resist being taken that they suffer their foot