INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, PHILADELPHIA. IO9 



A single nearly adult and several young specimens were found in the 

 Caloosahatchie marls. 



This species is distinguishable from the preceding by its shorter canal, 

 stronger sculpture, absence of tessellated sculpture between the spirals and 

 of the presutural constriction. It does not seem closely related to any known 

 recent species of the local fanna. 



Genus PULGUR Montfort. 

 ~^Fulgur Montfort, Conchyl. ii. p. 503, 1810. Type F. carica var. eliceans Montfort. 

 Busycon Bolten, Mus. Bolt., p. 149, 179S. No diagnosis, type or figure. 

 '^Sycopsis Conrad, Am. Journ. Conch, iii. p. 1S4, 1867. 

 'ySycotypus (Browne) Gill, Am. Journ. Conch, iii. p. 147, 1847. Not of Gray. 



This group of forms, which I here write under the earliest properly defined 

 name, took its rise in the Eocene formation. Its precursors maybe noted in such 

 forms as Levifiistis Blakei and trabeatus Conrad, Bulbifiisus inornatus Conrad 

 {Fusns Fitionii Lea), '' Fulgur" triserialis Whitfield, from the Claibornian, and 

 the Miocene Pyrula [Lyrosoma) sidcosa Conrad. To trace the gradual steps 

 by which from small, bulbous, mostly rather thin shells of this family the 

 enormous and ponderous forms of the Miocene and subsequent faunas have 

 been derived would be a fascinating task, but for which space and time at 

 present afford no opportunity. It will be sufficiently obvious, to any one who 

 will carefully study a full series of these forms, that their essential shell- 

 features at least had been already assumed at the epoch of the deposition of 

 the Claiborne sands. 



The noun Fulgitr is neuter. I find great discrepancies in the manner in 

 which authors have treated the specific names at various times, but the proper 

 ending (in nni) seems to be that which has been least frequently employed. 

 Considering the small number of recent species, there does not seem to be any 

 real necessity for maintaining two sections in the genus, which did not exist 

 before the Miocene period, though if the recent species were numerous the 

 sections might be convenient. 



I have found it necessary to considerably reduce the number of nominal 

 species, and to add to the list two hitherto unrecognized but very distinct 

 forms. 



Fulgur spiniger Conrad. 

 Ftisiis spiiiiger Conrad, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. i, 2d ser. p. 117, pi. xi. fig. 32, 184S. 

 Fulgur spiniger Conrad, op. cit. p. 207, 1849. Gill, Am. Journ. Conch, iii. p. 147, 1S67 ; 



Heilprin, Trans. Wagner Inst. i. p. loS. 

 Busycon spiniger Conrad, Am. Journ. Conch, iii. p. 184, 1867. 

 Fulgur nodulalum Conrad, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. i. 2d ser. p. 207, 1849 ; ii. p. 41, 



pi. 1. figs. 6, 7 ; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. vi. p. 317, 1854. 



