HALF AN HOUR WITH SHELL-FISH. 203 



And now we conclude our brief notice of the 

 commoner British univalves by a reference to a species 

 already known to all as the " White Whelk " (Buc- 

 cinum undatum, Fig. 112.) It is often sold in our 

 fish markets for food, as is also the " Bed Whelk " 

 (Fusus antiquus). Its shell may easily be identified 

 from the deep furrows which run vertically up each 

 whorl. This mollusc deposits its eggs in bags or 



Fig. 112. Fig. 113. 



Buccinum undatum. Egg-cases of Buccinum. 



cases, the whole of which are grouped together. 

 These empty egg-cases may frequently be picked 

 up on the beach, where they exactly resemble a 

 large bunch of hops, Fig. 113. The " Eed Whelk " 

 (Fusus antiquus) is dredged up further out at sea, 

 and is much larger than the Buccinum. Its surface 

 is smooth, and of an iron-red colour, whence its 



