FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [8] 



existence. Very little is known of it, though as a bait it is of consid- 

 erable importance in the cod-fishery at the Shumagiu Islands. The 

 flesh is also eaten by the Indians. 



In addition to this species there are several species of squids on the 

 west coast that are occasionally eaten by the Chinese, especially one 

 allied to Ommastrephes. The flesh is dried and exported to China, but 

 the industry is not of sufiBcient importance to justify particular mention. 



IfloMusca enccphala. 



GASTEROPODA. 



Like the Ceplialopoda^ the Gasteropoda of the American coast, while 

 very numerously represented, are not of much importance economically. 

 The abundance of more palatable, bivalve shellfish, such as the oysters 

 and clams, has prevented the univalves, even when edible, from receiving- 

 much attention. Doubtless many species, especially those of large size, 

 like the Fulgur carica and Buccinum imdatum, have been eaten in the past 

 by the Indians and, indeed, the shell-heaps along the coast contain 

 evidence of such having been the case; but in recent times the appro- 

 priation of this class of mollusks to the uses of man, with the exception 

 of the genus HaUofis, has been so slight that it is impossible to obtain 

 any statistics bearing upon the subject. A number of the Gasteropods 

 have been catalogued as used for food or bait ; but, with the excep- 

 tion above noted, they form a possible rather than a real food supply. 

 Even their consumption as bait is inconsiderable, and nowhere is their 

 pursuit reduced to any systematic or organized method. As, however, 

 many of the Gasteropods are carnivorous and predatory, doing, at times, 

 much damage to oyster beds and destroying numbers of other valuable 

 mollusks, they become of consequence in any consideration of shell-fish- 

 eries and in their destructive relation they will be noticed in detail. 



Buccinum undatuni, Linne. 



This animal is known, generally, as one of the " sea-snails," and 

 sometimes as the " whelk." It has not a very wide distribution on the 

 American coast, being uncommon south of Cape Cod, except in deep 

 water. It is common in Massachusetts Bay and abundant further 

 north, to the coast of Greenland. As a fossil it is common in the Post- 

 Pliocene deposits of Maine, Canada, and Labrador. Though the ordi- 

 nary American specimens, from shallow water, differ considerably from 

 the European types, yet, as it is not difiicult to form connecting series, 

 and as the deep-water specimens differ very little from the European 

 form. Professor Verrill decides that the two species are identical. This 

 Gasteropod is available for food; but, though probably eaten by the 

 Indians, is not at present sought, except occasionally as bait. It 

 usually inhabits rocky bottoms, but is occasionally found elsewhere. 



