i3i8 THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 



seem to be always present on specimens from mud bottoms. We 

 do not know what it feeds upon, but it is probably carnivorous like 

 Scchiuum undatum. 



Economics. It is an excellent article of food. Willis 

 tells us that it is "much scarcer and more esteemed as an 

 article of food than Fusus Mcmdiacs." We do not find that 

 it is ever eaten by the fishermen or offered for sale in our 

 markets. On the Bay of Fundy coast at least, it is more 

 abundant than F. Islandicus, and as it lives near low-water 

 mark, and is not solitary, but gregarious, it may be gathered 

 in larger quantities than the last mentioned species. Never- 

 theless it is too scarce to be of much commercial value. 



4. Fusus Islandicus Gould. 



Fusus curtus Jeffreys. 

 Tritonium Islandicum Loven. 

 Neftunea curta Verrill. 

 Siplio Islandicus Chemn. 



Spindle-shell. 



[Fusus, a spindle; Islandicus, Icelandic] 



Distribution, {a) General; — Low-water mark to eighty 

 fathoms. Massachusetts Bay to Labrador, and (if identical 

 with Enropean form) North European Seas to Great Britain. 



(b) In Acadia;— (m N. B.) Grand Manan, low-watermark 

 to forty fathoms, Stimpson. Bay of Fundy, low-water mark 

 to eighty fathoms, Verrill. Passamaquoddy Bay, Ganong. 

 ■Gulf of St. Lawrence, over one hundred fathoms, Fern7?. (in 

 N. S.) Annapolis Basin, abundant, VerJcruze7i. Halifax 

 Harbor, Jones. Pretty common in deep water around the 

 coast, Willis. Not yet reported from Prince Edward Island. 

 Probably nowhere very abundant, though to be found on all 

 the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic coast. 



Habits. This is the species described by Dr. Gould, under the 

 above name, but it is now generally considered that it is a distinct 

 species and should be called F. curtus. It is so closely allied to the 

 European F. Islandicus, however, that it is undoubtedly useful for the 

 .same purposes. 



