106 AMERICAN JOURNAL 



growth it takes a new start, and, seemingly, a new operculum 

 is commenced underneath the old one, with a central nucleus 

 which increases by annular additions, and finally has its edges 

 very much thickened and curved upward, giving it a saucer-like 

 appearance, while the old operculum seems as if laying upon the 

 saucer, with its nucleus and some of the adjacent portion pro- 

 jecting over the edge anteriorly. It has in all a diameter of *1 

 in. The drawings of this operculum were made under a camera, 

 and correctly represent it. That its form is not due to an in- 

 dividual abnormality is evident from the fact that all the speci- 

 mens examined were similar. 



The ovicapsules are not at all like those of Buccinum, but 

 rather like those of Busycon, though smaller, consisting of disk- 

 like capsules, united by one edge to a ribbon or stalk, as in 

 Busycon. They contain from eight to twelve embryos, which 

 attain the length of -12 in., and a shell of two Avhorls, which, 

 except in the absence of epidermis, essentially resembles the 

 adult. The first whorl, however, is whitish and amorphous, and 

 very fragile ; it is large for the size of the embryo, and is in- 

 variably lost in shells which have attained maturity. The re- 

 mainder of the embryonic shell is translucent purplish red, or 

 wine-color, with revolving lines. I found the embryos on the 

 point of escaping from the ovicapsules in September. The disks 

 of the capsules are three-quarters of an inch in diameter and 

 two tenths of an inch thick, with the edges perpendicular to the 

 top and bottom, and the angles serrate or furnished with slight 

 coriaceous, projecting points. 



Defl. 6o° in the var. acuminata and 90° in the typical form ; 

 lat. -5 and -7; Ion. -8 and *9 in., respestively. 



Buccinum Fischerianum, n. s. 



Shell almost precisely the shape of Volutharpa var. acumi- 

 nata, and with the same number of whorls, but four times as 

 large. 



Epidermis smooth, thin, yellowish, marked with very fine, 

 wavy, revolving lines, much finer than those of Yolutltarpa, and 

 not ciliated. Surface of the whorls smooth, but marked with 

 rather evident lines of growth, which are raised into plicate 

 rugosities near the suture, which is appressed and not canali- 

 culated. Whorls inflated, amply rounded, solid, porcellanous 

 and strong. Aperture elongate-ovate ; outer lip thickened, 

 broadly, effusely arched. Peristome white. Throat of a muddy 

 pink. Inner lip with a thin callus, thicker on the columella, 

 Avhere it is colored with dash of deep pink. Columella twisted, 

 broad, arched. Canal wide and shallow, very short. Color ex- 



