VOL. 1. ] Animals of Some West Coast Shelis. 351 
uous glide around the vessel in which it was confined, but most of , 
the time it remained stationary at the edge of the water, as if waiting 
for the tide to come in, or a chance to escape. 
Conus californicus Hinds. The body of this mollusk is whitish 
in color, and profusely dotted over with black specks that frequently ~ 
coalesce near the margin of the mantle. When the animal is in mo- 
tion the foot extends about 4 of an inch beyond the anterior and 
posterior ends of the shell. It is truncated in front and bluntly 
pointed behind. The sole is white and sparsely sprinkled with 
black specks. The motion of the animal is a constant glide. The 
proboscis is black, and about ¥% an inch long when fully extended, 
and seems to be a specialized portion of the animal’s mantle, rolled 
together with the lower edges in contact but not joined. It curves 
over and above the back of the shell, as the animal moves forward. 
Two small tentacles, of a dark color, each 5 millimeters long, pro- 
‘trude from the head near the base of the proboscis, bearing two 
small keen eyes, which are situated about half way between the tips. - 
and base of the tentacles. enh 
The operculum is horn-color and claw shaped, a portion of the 
lower or sharp end being free from the animal. 
When the animal is in motion this operculum lies transversely | 
across the upper side of the posterior part of the animal's foot- 
The nucleus of the young shell is white and glassy, and after a 
few turns the spire resembles a bluntly pointed, round peg: After 
this the upper end of the whorls rapidly enlarges, as also does the 
length of the whorls from the anterior end of the shell to the 
shoulder. 
In the adult the body of the shell is covered with numerous re- 
volving lines, more prominent near the anterior end of the shell. 
On the spire of some specimens there are also strong revolving 
lines, while on others these lines are entirely obsolete. The shoulder 
of the last whorl is rather concave and forms a shallow subcanal 
around the shell at the base of the spine, but this, like all other 
characters of shells, is. very variable, and in some individuals it 1s 
absent. : - : 
The whole shell is covered with a dirty yellowish epidermis that 
frequently darkens into chestnut color. The shells are quite brittle 
and very frequently broken, which perhaps 1s due to the thin, ant. 
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