140 



FULGUR. 



The name Fulgur, meaning lightning, is in allusion to the 

 somewhat tortuous longitudinal brown streaks upon the shell, 

 indicating rest-periods in its growth. The animal is used for 

 bait by fishermen, and the trade in the shells for garden orna- 

 ments and for use as hanging flower-pots is so extensive as to have 

 nearly caused the extermination of the species upon portions of 

 the New Jersey coast. 



Morch and Adams have used the name Busycon, of Bolten,.for 

 this genus, but Bolten did. not characterize it, whilst the later 

 name given by Montfort accompanies a full generic description ; 

 I therefore prefer Fulgur. It was included by Lamarck in the 

 heterogenous assemblage of species which he called Pyrula. 



The late Dr. Jeffreys Wyman, in his valuable memoir on the 

 " Fresh Water Shell Mounds of the St. John's River, Florida,"* 

 mentions two kinds of chisel-shaped tools cut from the shells of 

 -Fulgur carica and F. perversa. These implements were probably 

 used b3^the aborigines for fleshing skins and for the manufacture 

 of articles of wood. F. perversa was also used by the Florida 

 Indians as a drinking vessel, the interior whorls being removed 

 to increase its capacity. This same species was extensively used 

 and must have been an important article of trade among the 

 natives, as it is frequently found in Indian graves and mounds 

 throughout the Southern and Western States and Canada. It 

 is probable that, among other uses it was cut up into beads and 

 various small ornaments. The white kind of wampum or shell 

 money of the Indians was partially made of the axis of the shells 

 of Fulgur, and partially from Huccinum undatum. 



F. CARTCA, Gmelin. PI. 57, figs. 387-390 ; PI. 58, fig. 400. 



Whitish, the younger specimens often marked by ash or 

 chocolate-colored longitudinal stripes at the principal rest-periods 

 in their growth ; mouth and columella in adult specimens deep 

 orange color. Length, 6-10 inches. 



Cape Cod, Mass, to Florida. Also Miocene and Post Pliocene. 



Animal large, dirty white to almost black; mantle thick, white, 

 edge plain ; proboscis long, cylindrical, slightly bi-lobed and 

 black, or nearly so, at the end, lighter next the body ; tentacles 

 short, triangular ; eyes on the outer side near the base. Opercu- 



* Memoirs of the Peabody Academy, Vol. I, 1875. 



