1865.] REVIEW OF THE NORTHERN BUCCINUMS. 387 



and the gulf of St. Lawrence, by Mighels. In the Smithsonian 

 museum there are some bleached specimens, found in the Arctic 

 ocean, near the mouth of the McKenzie river, by Mr. R. W. 

 McFarlane. 



It may be recognised by its thin structure, superiorly flattened 

 whorls, and the total absence of plications in connection with an 

 obsolescent transverse striation of the type seen in the undatum 

 group. 



In the following table I have endeavoured to present an analytical 

 synopsis of the species of Buccinum here treated of, * as an aid to 

 their determination. In a genus where almost every specific 

 character is subject to great variation, and where the species must 

 be recognized rather by the gross amount of the characters than 

 by the prominence of particular ones, this is, as may be easily 

 understood, a very difficult matter. Such a synopsis is here only 

 useful for the determination of the specific relations of perfect and 

 well characterised specimens, — normal or typical examples of the 

 species. Abnormal forms, imperfect specimens, etc., must be com- 

 pared with the full descriptions preceding. 



* Of the various Arctic Buccinums which were described during 

 the early part of the present century (1819 to 1839), by the English 

 writers, Leach, Gray and others, without much critical comparison or 

 reference to each other's labors, I believe I have correctly identified and 

 placed in the synonyme all but the B. boreale of Broderip and Sowerby, 

 in the " Zoological Journal" of London, vol. iv. (1829), p. 375, which 

 has baffled all my attempts at proper reference. It may be a variety of 

 B. angulosum or of B. cyaneum. The following is their description in 

 fall: 



" B. t. tenui, ovato-fusiformi, anf. ventricosis striatis ; ultimo sutura 

 simplici ; caeteris suturam versus plicatis ; apertura patula, labio 

 superne sublobato ; epidermide fusca, crassa ; long 2.6 ; lat. 1.6 poll. 



Habitat in Oceano Boreali. % 



The habit of the shell is not unlike that of B. undatum, but it differs 

 from it in many points, especially in the form of the aperture and thin- 

 ness of the shell. In young specimens the epidermis is so strong, that in 

 drying it breaks the delicate edge of the lip. From Kamtschatka," 



