Mr. A. Hancock^s Notes on Buccinum undatum. 153 



have seen nothing, however, to warrant the union of that species 

 with any of the varieties of B. undatum^ and am inclined to con- 

 sider the former w^ell characterized ; it is distinguished from the 

 latter by the ovate form of the mouth and the shape of the colu- 

 mella, as well as by the character of the surface. 



The B. carinatum of Turton is a mere lusus of the deep-water 

 variety (var. 1.). There is in the Newcastle Museum a specimen 

 taken by the Rev. J. Law on the Durham coast like Turton's shell 

 with the whorls flattened and carinated above, without undula- 

 tions, and rather finely and regularly striated. The form of the 

 columella and mouth of this specimen also agrees with the figure 

 of B, carinatum, and proves it to be B. undatum, whilst the epi- 

 dermis and general form of the shell place it with this variety. 



Varieties like B. carinatum occur in various species, and are 

 occasioned by some original malformation of the mantle, or by 

 injuries sustained by it. These varieties therefore frequently ex- 

 hibit old fractures of the shell. I possess a specimen of Lit- 

 torina vulgaris which has the whorls strongly flattened and cari- 

 nated above. The shell however was originally of the normal 

 form ; but a fracture is apparent in the second or third whorl, 

 and from thence the abnormal appearance is continued through- 

 out the succeeding whorls. Had the fracture been unattended 

 by injury to the mantle, the shell would have assumed its proper 

 shape, as is commonly seen to be the case in repaired shells. 



Variety 2. is procured in twenty fathoms water on a hard gra- 

 velly bottom. 



It is common on the Northumberland and Durham coasts, 

 where it is brought to shore by the fishing-boats. This variety is 

 smaller than variety 1, rarely measuring more than three inches 

 long ; it is somewhat fusiform, very thick, heavy and rugged, 

 and generally much undulated ; the spire, which is as long as 

 the mouth, is conical, and the whorls are not much rounded ; the 

 mouth is white, or occasionally of a yellowish colour : this form 

 has no epidermis. 



The B. undatum of Pennant perhaps belongs to this variety, 

 judging from the figure, in which the outer lip appears to be in 

 a growing state. An elongated form of it is figured in Brown's 

 ' Illustrations of Conchology,' 2nd ed. pi. 3. fig. 1. In Mr. Alder's 

 cabinet there is a specimen from Zetland precisely agreeing with 

 this figure, which is stated to be from an individual procured 

 from deep water off" the Orkney coast. The B. Zetlandicum of 

 Forbes also appears to belong to this variety, differing from 

 Mr. Alder's shell and Captain Brown's figure only in being de- 

 void of undulations, and more regularly and finely striated ; the 

 spire, too, is not quite so much produced. A specimen closely 

 resembling the B, Zetlandicum was taken on the Durham coast 



