234 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



decreasing toward eacli end. On the onter border is a small circular or oval spot, of tbiuner material, which the 

 yonng ones break through when they are ready to leave the capsules, each of which, when perfect, contains twenty 

 to thirty or more eggs or young shells, according to the SL-ason." Verrill adds interesting particulars as follows: 



Dr. Elliott Cones, who has ohsorved Fiilt/ur carica forming its cases at Fort Maeou, North Carolina, states that the, females bury 

 themselves a few inches below the surface of the saml on the flats that are uncovered at low-water, anil remain stationary dnrin" the 

 process. The string of capsules is gradually thrust upward as fast as formed, and finally protrudes from the surface of the sand, and, 

 when completed, lies espostid on its surface. The string begins as a simple shred, two or three inches long, without well-formed cases; 

 the first cases are small and imperfiet in shape, but they rapidly increase in size and soon become perfect, the largest being in the 

 middle; the series ends more abruptly than it begun, with a few smaller and less perfect capsules. The number of cajisules varies 

 considerably, but there are usually seventy-five to one hundred or more. At Fort Macon Dr. Cones oliserved this species sjiawning in May, 

 but at New Haven they spawn as early as March aud April. It is probable that the period of spawning extends over .several months. Mr. 

 Sanderson Smith thinks that they al.so .spawn in autumu on Long Island. It is not known how long a time each fem.alo requires for the 

 formation of her string of capsules. There are two forms of these capsules, about equally abundant in this region. lu one the sides of the 

 capsules are nearly smooth, but the edge is thick or truncate along most of the circumference, and cros.sed by numerous sh.arj) transverse 

 ridges or partitions, dividing it into facets. Dr. Cones states that these belong to Fuli/ur carica. An examination of the young shells, 

 ready to leave the capsules, confirms this. The other kind has larger and thinner capsules, with a thin, sharji outer edge, while the sides 

 have radiating ridges or raised lines. Sometimes the sides arc unlike, one being smooth and more or less concave, the other convex and 

 crossed by ten or twelve radiating, elevated ridges, extending to the edge. This kind was attributed to Fiilgur carica by Dr. G. H. Perkins, 

 and formerly by Mr. Sanderson Smith, but a more careful cxamiuation of the young shells, within the capsules, shows that they belong to 

 Syco>iiima canaliculata. 



Eggs so exposed are subject to numberless accidents, being drifted ashore, ground to pieces by storms, and 

 no doubt eaten by bottom-feeding fishes, .so that only a few eggs out of the hundreds in each "necklace" are ever 

 born, or, accomplishing that, are able to survive the perils of unprotected youth aud grow to adult age and strength. 

 Having once done so, however, this mollusk probably lives to a very great age. 



An e.xaraiuation of the plate, or, better, of a specimen, will show that in both species the muscular part is large 

 and strong and the mouth powerful. The food of the couch being mainly the fle.sh of other mollusks, its method 

 of killing them is one of brute .strength, since it is unprovided with the silicious, file-like tongue, by means of which 

 the small "drills" set at naught the shelly armor of their victims. The conch is a greater savage than this. 

 Seizing upon the unfortunate oyster, unable to run away, he envelops his shell in the concave under-surface of his 

 foot, and, by just such a muscular action as you would employ iu grasping an object in the palm of your fist, crushes 

 the shell into fragments and feasts at leisure oji the flesh thus exposed. Where oysters or other prey are abundant, 

 this operation is quickly repeated and vastly destructive. One planter in the upper part of Buzzard's bay, where 

 this pest is very troublesome, told me that one wiidde was capable of killing a bu.shel of oysters in a single hour. 

 They do not confine themselves to oysters altogether, of course ; any mollusks or other marine animal, sluggit-h 

 and weak enough to be caught and broken up, sufi'ering from their predacity. I was told in New Jersey, by an 

 intelligent man, that the conch would even draw the razor-shell out of his burrow and devour it. If this be true," 

 no doubt the soft clam also falls a victim to the same marauder. The quahaug is generally safe in his massive 

 shells. 



The oyster-beds most subject to attack aud harm by the winkles and conchs, are those planted in water which 

 is quite salt, as is the practice in New England aud Long Island sound. The beds of the Great South bay, Staten 

 Island, and the southern Jersey coast, are well protected by the outer beaches from the sea, aud to these barriers 

 owe tlieir immunity from the Fulgur, while the Sycotijpus, though present inside the beaches, seems to do small 

 damage. Oystermen will tell you, also, that beds which are disturbed from time to time by the planter, will suffer 

 more harai than neglected beds, especially in summer. Of course, the report is to be expected, that where planting 

 has gone on for many years, there these predatory mollusks have visibly increa,scd in numbers. 



In regard to ridding our beds of this pest, I can only advise, as heretofore, that every effort be made to 

 destroy every" specimen taken and every "necklace" of eggs which can be got hold of. The trawl, tangles, etc., 

 recommended for the suppression of starfishes, would take up these eggs at the same time, and thus increase their 

 efficiency. Persistent fighting is the only resource against this enemy. 



Some points of minor interest may be mentioned before leaving this subject. Both of these shells were u.sed 

 by the Indians of the coast ceremonially, and as material for the making of white wampum, their money of inferior 

 value, which consisted of bead shaped sections of the central column of the shell. From them, also, were fashioned 

 sundry articles of service and oriuimeut, such as trowels, sjjoous, and dippers ; they are sometimes even yet called 

 "ladle shells". The Indians ate the animals, too, when hard pressed for food, and have been followed in this 

 practice by the whites, to some extent. De Voe says they u.sed sometimes to be sent into Catherine market, New 

 York, from Long Islaiul, aud found sale; "but," he adds, "they an; not generally relished, being somewhat strong 

 flavored. Tliey are mostly u.sed by the poor who live near the coast." Several foreign mollusks, not greatly 

 different, are eaten— generally being boiled — and perhaps proper cooking would make these conchs more palatable 

 than they have hitherto proved. 



The drum. — Perhaps as destructive an agent as the conchs and wiidiles, is the fi.sh known as the drumfi.sh,- 

 {Pogonias cromis, Linn.); for, although this plague is not steadily present, when it does occur the devastation is 

 enormous. "Let us make a visit," .says that brightest of American writers on animals aud out-of-door matti-rs, 



