147 



Family Cuspidaridce. 



CUSPIDARIA GLACIALIS, G. 0. SarS. 



If ecwa glacial is, G. O. Sars(1878); et auct. 



Cuspidaria (jlaciaUs, Dall (1886). 



Cuspidaria arctica, var. glacialis, Dall (1889). 



A few living specimens of a shell which Jefireys, Verrill, and the writer 

 formerly identified with Nec^ra arctica, M. Sars, but which Verrill now calls 

 Cuspidaria glacialis, were dredged by the writer in 1871, 1872 and 1873, 

 from the deep sea mud (170-313 fathoms) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, at 

 several localities to the north, and more especially to the south and south- 

 east of the Island of Anticosti. Verrill has dredged similar spe-imens in 

 the Bay of Fundy, and says that the species is " common on muddy bottoms, 

 in 50 to 192 fathoms, off the coasts of New England and Nova Scotia." 



Jeffreys has expressed the opinion that Necera (or, as it is now called, 

 Cuspidaria) glacialis, is only a variety of Necera obesa, Loven ; but Dall 

 regards the former as a variety of ^V. arctica. 



Cuspidaria arctica (M. Sars). 



Ne<era arctica, M. Sais (1872); and G. O. Sars (1878). 

 Cuspidaria arctica, Dall (1886). 



" A single imperfect valve from station 70, south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, 

 in 190 fathoms, is referred to this species. Though worn and slightly 

 broken, it agrees closely with Sars' figure, but it cannot be fully grown, for 

 it measures but 14 mm. in length, and 11 mm. in height" (Verrill).* 



Cuspidaria pellucida (Stimpson). 



Necera pellucida, Stimpson (1853). 

 Cuspidaria pellucida, Verrill (181)8). 



Grand Manan, " off Long Island, in 40 fathoms, on a muddy bottom " 

 (Stimpson) ; the specimen from which the original description was made. 

 Professor Verrill states that similar specimens have since been obtained at 

 nearly the same locality by the XJ. S. Fish Commission. In 1871 the writer 

 dredged a few shells, which were then identified with Necera obesa, Loven, 

 in the deep sea mud (100-313 fathoms) of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, north 

 of the Bale des Chaleurs. " After a careful study and comparison of the 

 numerous species belonging to the family Cuspidaridiv," Professor Verrill 

 and Miss Bush say that they " have been able to satisfactorily prove that 



* Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, vol. xx., p. 803. 



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