NORTH-WESTERN SPECIES. 19 



of numerous specimens of a species of Dentalium 

 strung together. The species bears an exceed- 

 ingly close resemblance to that described by 

 Linnaeus as Dentalium entalis (Entails vulcjaris of 

 Risso, and of Dr. Gray's " Guide to Mollusca"), 

 and appears to me, notwithstanding the difference 

 of habitat, to be undistinguishable from that Euro- 

 pean species. It has, however, been described 

 by the late Mr. Nuttall as Dentalium pretiosum ; 

 and a figure has been given of it by Mr. Sowerby, 

 in one of his late numbers of the " Thesaurus 

 Conchy liorum." 



' From a careful comparison of the typical 

 specimens of D. pretiosum, in Mr. Cuming's col- 

 lection, there can be no doubt of the identity of 

 that species with the specimens brought by Mr. 

 Lord from Vancouver Island; those in Mr. 

 Cuming's collection are said to be from California. 



' In examining the old river gravels on the 

 banks of the Columbia River, alluded to in vol. ii. 

 along with numerous other articles, such as human 

 bones, flint instruments, &c., Mr. Lord found a 

 number of specimens of a species of Dentalium 

 considerably eroded and worn, which I have 

 compared with some in Mr. Cuming's collection, 

 and find identical with the Dentalium striolatum 



of Stimpson, from Newfoundland. I strongly 



c 2 



