and Shells of Massachusetts Bay. 95 
Oxsservations. The only species of Scalaria, for 
which the present could possibly be mistaken, is S. 
Turtónis, Turt., but that much exceeds it in size ;—it 
differs also in the number of whorls, which, instead of 
nine, vary from twelve to sixteen, and the lip is without 
the basal emargination exhibited by ours. An imperfect 
shell, from the Grand Bank, and now in the cabinet of 
Dr. A. A. Gould, of Boston, answers very exactly the 
descriptions of S. Turténis, but differs materially from 
this shell. 
I have found, in several visits to the neighborhood of 
Cape Ann, five specimens in all, among which, I was so 
fortunate as to discover one containing the animal. This 
individual was picked up from a mass of entrails in a 
state of partial decomposition, found so high upon the 
beach, as to preclude almost a possibility of its being 
there, through its own agency, even if the shell had not, 
by its appearance, furnished incontestable evidence of its 
having been in the stomach of the fish. 
Upon my return from the excursion, it was, with a 
number of other shells from the same locality, thrown 
into a basin of fresh water, in order to cleanse it from 
the filth with which it was covered, where it remained 
for eighteen hours. On turning off the water, I per- 
ceived the animal slightly protruded, but had no idea of 
its being alive, until I took it up, and, to my surprise, 
beheld it slowly withdraw into the shell. It was imme- 
diately placed in a vessel of sea water, where it con- 
tinued alive for several weeks. It fed quite eagerly 
upon fresh beef, which was thrown in, especially when 
it had become somewhat macerated. It was very slug“ 
gish in its motions, frequently remaining an hour or 
more, on the same spot, with its body protruded just 
