m 
96 Couthouy's New Species of Mollusca 
beyond the tentaculæ, which it kept continually in mo- 
tion. The least touch, however, or agitation of the 
vessel, caused it to withdraw with great rapidity into its 
shell. 
When the great solvent power of the gastric juice in 
fishes is considered, the tenacity of life, to which I owe ` 
the opportunity of making observations upon this animal, 
may be regarded as truly wonderful. 
It was my intention to have procured a drawing of 
the animal, and subsequently made a dissection of it ; but 
having been suddenly called out of the city for several 
weeks, it unfortunately perished before my return, for 
want of proper attention, and I am able, in consequence, 
only to give such notes of its external appearance, as 
were made previous to my absence. I am not aware 
that any complete, anatomical description of this animal 
has ever been given, and should hope that the know- 
ledge of its dwelling on our coast, may induce some of 
our naturalists to search for it, and to furnish a full detail 
of its organization. 
SCALARIA NOVAN GLI. 
Plate III. fig. 5. 
S. testa elongato-turrita, sub-perforata, alba, maculis feceedandipen 
notata ; costis parvulis, inequalibus, interstitiis tenuissime striatis 
tibus convexis, vix contiguis; aperturà ovati; labro S 
Long. fourteen twentieths, diam. of basis five twen- 
tienths, of an inch. 
Hab. deep water of Mass. Bay. 
My collection. 
Descrirtion. Shell turreted, elongate, slightly per- 
forate, of a shining white color, with irregular brownish 
