174 



It is now found in great abundance along the coast of 

 Maine. 



Before the year 1872, it had never been observed in 

 Salem harbor. On the shore of South Salem, a place 

 where I had repeatedly collected, only a single specimen 

 was found in the spring of 1872. It is now one of the 

 most common shells in the harbor of Salem, and actually 

 swarms in countless numbers in all the inlets in the 

 vicinity of Salem. 



Professor Verdll, in a note to Silliman's Journal, for 

 September, 1880, records his observations in regard to its 

 diffusion, from which we quote the following : 



"In 1873, it was collected in abundance at Saco, Me., 

 by the U. S. Fish Commission, and was found sparingly 

 at Peake's island, Casco Bay. In 1872, it was very rare 

 at Provincetown, Mass., but in 1878, it was common 

 there. In 1875, it was collected by the writer at Barn- 

 stable, Mass., on the shores of Cape Cod Bay, in large 

 quantities. In 1879, it had become exceedingly abun- 

 dant at Provincetown. In 1875, our parties found two 

 specimens only on the southern shores of Cape Cod at 

 Wood's Holl, but in 1876, it was found to be common 

 there, and is now very abundant. The first specimen, 

 found so far westward as New Haven, was obtained by 

 Professor S. I. Smith, during the past winter. Other 

 solitary specimens have since been obtained here by 

 Mr. E. A. Andrews and by J. H. Emerton. It is at 

 present exceedingly abundant at Newport, R. I." 



In " Science News " for April 15, 1879, Mr. Arthur F. 

 Gray comments on the occurrence of this species on the 

 New England coast and gives a large number of places 

 where it has been collected. 



He first found it in Massachusetts, at Danvers, in the 

 spring of 1872. He also mentions that Prof. J. W. 



