Fusus. 337 



and coasts of Russian Lapland (Middendorff ) , Iceland 

 (Chemnitz) , Faroe Isles (Morcli) , Norway^ as far north 

 as Havosund, 30-100 f. (Sars and others), Sweden (Lo- 

 ven and Malm), the Cattegat (Jonas), Boulonnais 

 (Bouchard), Pirou in Brittany (De Gerviile), and Loire- 

 Inferieure, 25-30 f. (Cailliaud) . 



Of many hundred specimens which I have at different 

 times examined, the males were more numerous than the 

 females. One had no operculum nor the usual lobe by 

 which that part is formed. The capsules are solitary, 

 small, membranous, pouch-shaped, and attached by a 

 broad base to stones and corallines ; their surface is 

 microscopically and closely reticulated; orifice extremely 

 large, and sometimes having the edge partly stained 

 with pink. Each capsule contains only a single embry- 

 onic shell, which is transparent, and through it may be 

 seen the orange liver and two unequal-sized plumes of 

 pale yellow gills. My largest specimens (from the Dog- 

 ger bank and Exmouth) are nearly four inches long. 

 Specimens from deep and still water are thinner than 

 those from the coast line ; others are more slender. 

 Monstrosities now and then occur, viz. some of the 

 ridges being prominent and keel-like ; spire twisted on 

 one side or downwards ; penultimate whorl swollen ; 

 apex broken off and replaced by a shelly plug ; or the 

 operculum aborted and concave. This whelk is occa- 

 sionally brought to Billingsgate market, mixed with the 

 common eatable kinds; but it is not saleable. The 

 fishermen call it " borer.^' 



Lister first made known the present species, giving it 

 a compound name (Buccinum angustius &c.); and it is 

 comprehended in Linnets description of Murex corneus, 

 which now represents the F. lignarius of Lamarck, a Me- 

 diterranean shell. Chemnitz distinguished it, as a sub- 



VOL. IV. Q 



