166 BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF 



The common whelk, Buccinum undatum, is the shore repre- 

 sentative of the Buccinidae, and is also commonly dredged. 

 Other species are Neptunea deceincostata, commonly called 

 Chrysodomus, and the two Sipko forms, S. stimpsonii and 

 S. pygmaeus. S. stimpsonii attains quite a size and we have 

 taken specimens 5 inches long, with the majority around 2 

 inches. The epidermis is rather velvety, light brown, and 

 smooth, which helps distinguish it from S. pygmaeus, with 

 which the young are found associated. 8. pygmaeus is a 

 smaller animal, rarely found over an inch long, but has a 

 wide range from shore stations to considerable depths. The 

 epidermis is hirsute, corrugated, and of a grayish color. All 

 are common. 



The Turritidae as found in the different Bela species are 

 general, and a fish food of importance. More may be obtained 

 from fish maws than in any other way. The nomenclature 

 of the Belas, owing to their similarity and consequent imper- 

 fect original descriptions and illustrations, has always been in 

 a state of confusion. I have, therefore, listed as taken by us 

 only those forms which I have been able to compare with 

 specimens that have valid identifications. 



The Calyptraeidae are so poorly represented, while so com- 

 mon further south, that it is worth while mentioning. Though 

 Crucibulum is found frequently, Crepidida is so scarce both 

 along the shore and on the bottom that we found but six indi- 

 viduals during our entire field work. One large individual of 

 C. fornicata, two C glauca in the dredging, and several quite 

 large specimens of C. fornicata attached to rocks on the west- 

 ern side of the Island. These were so flat and with such a 

 thin shell that they could easily have been taken for C. plana. 



The two New England forms of the Acmaeidae, Acmaea tes- 

 tudinalis and A. alveus, are commonly found attached to rocks 

 in the tide pools and elsewhere. Earlier writers and many 

 people today consider these two forms as separate species, but 

 after years of collecting on the flats and in the pools, I am 

 quite convinced that there is no difference between them in 

 this Region. T know this statement will produce a raising of 



