SNAILS OF THE OCEAN. 



Many of my readers have doubtless lusks, measuring eighteen, inches hi 

 spent some of the vacation months at the length. One of the smaller Tritons is 

 sea shore and have wandered over the pictured on the plate. Another shell fa- 

 beach at low tide picking up shells and miliar to those who have visited Florida 

 other objects left by the receding ocean, is the Fasciolaria or banded snail, which 

 They have also, I am sure, peered into attains a length of three inches and is 

 the little pools of water left on the beach very prettily banded and dashed with 

 and have watched with interest the cap- color. ' A near relative of this species is 

 tives imprisoned therein, hermit crabs, the giant banded shell (Fasciolaria gi- 

 fiddler crabs, sea anemones, sea worms gantea), which is the largest of all marine 

 and snail shells. It is with the latter that snails, growing to a length of nearly two 

 the present article will deal. feet. This specks is found plentifully on 



The stretch of beach which is uncov- the southern Atlantic coast of the Uni- 

 ered twice a day by the receding of the ted States, being particularly abundant 

 water is called "between tides," and is in- about the coral reefs of the Florida Keys, 

 habited by a host of animate creatures, A genus of mollusks with light horn 

 chief among which are the mollusks. colored shells, and inhabiting the cold 

 The marine snails outnumber all of those waters of the Arctic seas, is the Bucci- 

 which we discussed in the last article, and num, or whelk. In various parts of Great 

 their shells are far more beautiful, those Britain it is known as "buckie" and "mut- 

 found in the tropics having the most log." The Buccinum delights to burrow 

 gaudy colors imaginable. The animals in the sand, like the moon shells (Natica), 

 are formed on the same plan as those of and frequently nothing but the end of the 

 the fresh-water snails, although each fam- siphon can be seen, the latter protruding 

 ily has some peculiarity not shared by its from the sand to enable the water to en- 

 relatives. All live in the water and breathe ter the animal to furnish the necessary 

 air through that medium by means of oxygen. The whelk is used economical- 

 gills, similar to the second class of fresh ly, both for food and bait. One ingeni- 

 water snails mentioned in the last number, ous method of catching them is to fasten 

 They are found in all parts of the world, a dead fish of good size in a wire basket 

 those of the tropics, however, being the and to allow it to rest on the bottom for 

 most brilliantly colored. While the ma- a short time; when taken up it is cov- 

 jority of species live either between tides ered with large, fat whelks. This fishery 

 or near low water, there are not a few in Great Britain is fully as valuable as 

 which live in the abysses of the ocean, our oyster fishery, the annual income 

 and have been dredged from the bottom from this industry reaching to thousands 

 of the sea at a depth of two thousand, of pounds sterling. The animal is also 

 seven hundred and forty fathoms, or, to one of the principal baits used in cod 

 pur it more plainly, over three miles. The fishing. A related genus, the neptune 

 average depth at which mollusks are shells (Neptunea), is also eaten by the 

 found in any number is about one thou- poorer people and makes a good codfish 

 sand fathoms. The variability of ma- bait. The two kinds of whelk (Buccinum 

 rine snails is so great that we shall be and Neptunea), are termed, the first the 

 able to call attention to but a limited white whelk and the second the red or 

 number of typical forms. almond whelk, probably on account of 



Among the best known of the marine the colors of the two shells. In the Shet- 



snails' are the Tritons, a family of mol- land Islands the red whelk is used as a 



lusks living in tropical seas. Their shells lamp, being suspended by strings from a 



are generally large and highly^colored nail, the mouth placed uppermost and 



and variously ornamented with short filled with oil. 



spines and knobs. One species, the Tri- The basket shells or dog-whelks are 



ton tritonis, is among the largest of mol- among the most numerous in individuals 



176 



