214 BULLETIN OF THE 



Genus UROSALPINX Stimpson. 



This genus differs from Muricidea by its operculum, which is externally like 

 that of typical Murex and internally shows gyratory Furpura-like scars. The 

 nucleus is within the edge about midway between the ends, not apical or sub- 

 apical as in the preceding group. In other respects they do not greatly differ. 

 The genus is of economic importance, as it destroys millions of young oysters 

 in all our seaboard States, holding the destructive eminence here which 

 Ocinebra erinacea is accorded in Europe. There are three American species 

 known to belong to it; U. cinereus Say, ranging from Massachusetts to Florida; 

 U. tampaensis Conrad, known only from the west coast of Florida, and which 

 has been referred to Eupleura by Tryon ; lastly U. perrugatus Conrad,* a 

 species not included in Tryon's list, and of which the distinctive characters 

 have already been referred to. It is also an inhabitant of West Florida from 

 Cedar Keys to Key West. 



Beside these shallow- water species, we have two species, described by Prof. 

 Verrill, from 120-938 fms., off Hatteras, U. carolinensis and U. macra Verrill. 

 There is some question as to the generic place of these shells, but, pending an 

 examination of the soft parts, they seem as properly placed here as anywhere. 

 The first mentioned, however, looks much like a Muricidea or short Fusus, 

 closely related to Fusus PJeifferi Philippi. 



Genus TYPHIS Montfort. 



This genus, founded by Montfort on a fossil species, is composed of a very 

 compact little group of shells containing about a dozen recent and a few fossil 

 species. These have accordingly been divided into twelve subdivisions by 

 Jousseaume, to each of which he has applied a name, generic or subgeneric as 

 the reader may prefer. It is perhaps no more than we should expect of a 

 mind capable of laying such a performance before the scientific world, that he 

 has selected invariably the most superficial and trivial specific characters upon 

 which to base his subdivisions, and has missed entirely the only shell character 

 in the whole group upon which a rational subdivision can be founded. 



The authors who have monographed this genus have called attention to the 

 fact that the tube which is the chief characteristic is sometimes situated between 

 the varices and is sometimes continuous with them. A careful study of the 

 surface of the shell shows that the fold of the mantle around which the tube is 

 formed is, like the siphon, a fold, and not a continuous cylinder, although its 

 edges are appressed so closely that the shelly secretion forms a perfect cylinder. 

 It would seem that in the typical species of Typhis, as figured by Montfort, the 

 tubes are wholly disengaged from the varices. In the recent species of this 

 sort a continuous sutural line will be found to pass from the anterior side of 

 the tube to the aperture, in the direction of rotation. Sometimes at the point 



* Fusus perntfjatus Conrad, Am. Journ. Science, n. ser.,II. p. 397, 1846. Collected 

 at the Manatee River, West Florida. 



