872 



MURICID^. 



Fig. 638. A deep-water shell. Very large 



specimens, much worn, are occa- 

 sionally found upon Chelsea and 

 Phillips's Beaches ; along the coast 

 of Maine, and farther eastward, they 

 are not infrequent. The small va- 

 riety is found abundantly in fishes 

 caught in our harbor, though I have 

 never found it washed ashore. Nova 

 Scotia ( Willis') ; Eastport ( Coop- 

 er) ; St. Anne {Bell). 



1 formerly regarded the small 

 shells as the young, or a dwarf va- 

 riety of the type, though Mr. Sow- 

 erby is rather disposed to regard 

 tliem as a good species. And I had 

 also regarded the Fusus ventricosus 

 as a variety abhreviatus of the same ; 

 l)ut as I find it accurately described 

 by Dr. Gray, I have concluded to 

 follow him, since I can do it without 

 imposing any new name. The true 

 Micrex corncns of Linnaeus is said 

 to be the Fusus lignarius of La- 

 marck. 



[Animal white, with small irreg- 

 ular specks of black ; eyes black ; foot rectangular, angles rounded. 



F Mandicus 



Fusus pygmseus. 



Fig. 199. 



Shell not exceedine; four fiftks of an inch in lengtli ; whorls six, and preserving 

 the proportions of F. Mandicus. 



Fusus Islandicus, var. pygmmis, Gould, Inv. 1st ed. 284, fig. 199. 

 Fhsus pij(jmcens, Stimpson, Check Lists, 6. 



Both Dr. Mighels and Prescott having assured me that F. pijg- 

 mmis is distinct from F. Islandicus, and having sent me specimens 

 of the latter of equal length with those of the former, I find their 

 opinion quite correct. F. pi/s^maus has at least two more whorls 

 than the young of F. Islandicus of equal length. The comparative 



