On the Californian Species of Fusus. ij 



BY W. H. DALL, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. '/ 



From the Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, March lOthj 1877. '^' 



Without entering into the question of their exact generic relations, a short 

 review of the Californian mollusks, usually referred to the genus Fusus (sen- 

 se lata), may prove not without interest. 



With the exception of one species, the synonymy and nomenclature of these 

 forms are in a very confused condition, as will shortly appear. After the 

 description of F. dirus, by Eeeve, in 1846, two miocene fossils were the first 

 described species from this coast, and from a mistaken desire to confine the 

 number of species within the narrowest limits, these names, or one of them, 

 have been repeatedly injected into the nomenclature of the recent forms. 

 Disposing of these two fossils, the remainder will br- referred to in chrono. 

 logical order. 



Fusus GENICULU3, Conrad. 1849. 



Geol. U. S. Expl. Exp., X, p. 728, pi. 20, f. 3. Miocene; Sand- 

 stones of Astoria, Oregon. 



This consists of a fossil truncated at both ends, with the aperture and half 

 the shell imbedded in the matrix, and the remainder very poorly preserved, 

 or at least wretchedly figured. The types belonging to the National Museum 

 have been lost for twenty years. The species is wholly unrecognizable, and 

 should be expunged from nomenclature. For this rubbish Mr. Conrad has 

 proposed a genus P7-iscofusiis, but with neither figure nor diagnosis. (Am. 

 Journ. Conch., 1865, p. 150.) 



(?) Fusus coEPuiiENTus, Courad. 18-49. 



Geol. 1. c. p. 728, PI. 20, f. 4. Same locality. 



This consists of the internal cast of a species of mollusk, which may be a 

 Pleurotoma, or almost anything else of a fusiform shape. Otherwise, the re- 

 marks under the preceding species are applicable in this case. 



Fusus (Chkysodomus) dieus, Keeve. 1846. 



Bucctnum dirum, Keeve. Conch. Icon., f. 92; Dec, 1846. 



Fusus incisus, Gould. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., p. 124, May, 



1849. Expl. Exp., Moll., p. 245, pi. , f. . Otia Conch., 



p. 64, 1862. 

 Tritonium {Fusus) Sitchense, Middeudorf. Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci., 



St. Petersburg, VII, No. 160, 1849, p. 244. Beitr. Mai. Boss, 



II, 1849, p. 149, t. II, f. 5-8. 

 Chri/sodomus dirus. Carpenter. Kep. Br. Assoc, II, 1863, p. 664, 



(and of Californian aiithors). 



Habitat, Shumagin Islands, Alaska, to Monterey, Cal. One dead speci- 

 men found at San Miguel Island, Cal. This well known species is familiar 



