8 



RANDOM NOTES ON NATURAL HISTORY. 



is eaten in immense numbers when in season 

 — August and September. They lay their 

 eggs in October, and about two months are 

 required for the development of the fry. 



This species, like most Arctic shells, is 

 variable in form and in size ; our New Eng- 

 land specimens were considered by the late 

 Dr. Wm. Stimpson to be a distinct variety 

 from the European shells, and were named 

 by him Buccinum undulatum. An immense 

 number of specimens from all the various 

 localities where this species is found, have 

 been carefully compared, and all the so- 

 called varieties grade into each other, so that 

 there is no longer a doubt but our shell is 

 the undatum of Linnaeus. The name also 

 was not well chosen, as other naturalists 

 had previously given it to other species ; 

 thus, Buccinum undulatum is a synonym of 

 B. Groenlandicum, Chemnitz, and B. un- 

 dulatum, Moller, Hancock, is a synonym of 

 B. Totteni, Stimpson. 



Family 4. Nassidie, contains six gen- 

 era, one of whidi, Nassa, is represented in 

 Rhode Island. 



Gexus Nassa, Lam. 



Distr., about 130 species, worldwide. 

 Fossil numerous species. 



Shell ovate, ventricose, body whorl vari- 

 ously sculptured ; aperture ovate, with a 

 short, reflected, truncated, anterior canal ; 

 inner lip smooth, often widely spread over 

 with enamel, with a posterior callosity or a 

 blunt, dentiform plait ; outer hp dentate, 

 internally crenulated. The genus is divided 

 into eleven sub-genera, three of which in- 

 habit our state. They are Phrontis, Tritria, 

 and Ilyanassa. 



Sub-Genus Phrontis, H. & A. Adams. 



Spire elevated, acuminate, whorls ribbed 

 or nodulous, distinctly shouldered ; inner 

 lip smooth, with an extended, thickened ! 

 callus ; outer lip with an external varix. \ 

 There are eleven species, the only one of i 

 which inhabiting this country is the 



10. Nassa (Phrontis) vibex, vSay. 

 Syns : 



Nassa fretensis, Perkins. 



Buccinum vibex, Adams. 



Nassa vibex, Sa}'. 



Shell short and thick, solid, ovate-conic 



surface reticulated by twelve undulating 

 ribs, crossed by ten elevated lines : color 

 ashy white, olive, chocolate, or nearly black, 

 with a pale reddish zone on the top, middle, 

 and base of the body whorl ; spire turreted, 

 shouldered, the border of which is nodulous ; 

 outer lip thickened within and without, and 

 dentate within ; inner lip concave, over- 

 spread with callus ; canal short. Length 

 of shell, five to seven-tenths of an inch ; 

 breadth, one-third. 



This species belongs to the Southern At- 

 lantic Province, and is found in the West 

 Indies. It is rare even in the Middle States, 

 but has been found as far north as Cape 

 Cod. I have found three specimens in 

 Coweset Bay, probably brought here on 

 Virginia oysters. 



{To he coiiUniud.) 



Egg-Laying Seasons of the Genus Fulgur. 



Editor of Random Notes. 



Dear Sir : In Notes on the Shell-Bear- 

 ing Mollusca of Rhode Island, by Mr. Car- 

 penter, he says, in reference to Fidyar 

 cai'ira, that '' the animal lays its eggs in 

 March and April," — leaving the reader to 

 infer that they are not laid in any other 

 season. 



This statement is true so far as it goes, 

 but with all deference to the gentleman,' he 

 certainly appears to have accepted the con- 

 clusions of previous authors without per- 

 sonal verification. 



Now it is a fact, though apparently un- 

 noticed by Professor Verrill and other emi- 

 nent naturalists, that the eggs of F. carica 

 and F. canalicidata are deposited not only 

 in the spring and autumn months, but in 

 all of the winter months as well ; the writer 

 having demonstrated this in part by exhib- 

 iting capsules of both species at regular 

 meetings of the Philadelphia Academ}- of 

 Natural Sciences for six consecutive months, 

 beginning with December, 1883 ; showing 

 on each occasion the various stages of 

 growth, from the freshly-laid eggs to the 

 fully developed (embryotic) mollusks. 



As a record of these facts may be found 

 in the minutes of the meetings named, there 

 should be no reason hereafter for the rep- 

 etition of an error caused, in all probability', 

 by the lack of opportunity for continuous 

 in\estigation. John Ford. 



Philadelphia, Penn., June, 1884. 



